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•BOSTON.    LINCOLN   &   EDMONDS. 


^^;ta'<sr:^ 


BOSTOH 

I.ILJCOLX  &  EDMANDS 


TRAVELS 


TRUE    GODLINESS 

BY  REV.  BENJAMIN  KEACH, 

Pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church,  Horselydown,  London. 


REVISED    AND    IMPROVED  J 

WITH    OCCASIONAL    NOTES, 
AND  A   MEMOIR    OF    HIS    LIFE 

BY  HOWARD  MALCOM,  A.  M. 


SECOND      EDITION 


Boiston 


LINCOLN    &    EDMANDS, 

Printers  and  Publishers,  No.  59  Washington-St. 

1831. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1831, 
By  Lincoln  &  Edmands, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachu- 
setts. 


PREFACE, 


The  Editor  hopes  he  has  rendered  an  accepfable 
service  to  the  religious  public,  by  bringing  forth  from 
almost  entire  oblivion,  this  small  but  admirable  trea- 
tise. The  strenuous  efforts  of  Authors  and  Publish- 
ers to  attract  attention  to  new  works,  and  the  ne- 
cessarily greater  interest  we  feel  in  the  present  than  in 
the  past,  combine  to  throw  the  books  of  former  years 
into  increasing  obscurity.  Though  books  abound  in 
every  department  of  knowledge  or  piety,  yet  those 
of  a  proper  kind  do  not  abound,  at  least,  on  practical 
religion.  Sabbath  Schools  and  Tract  Societies,  to- 
gether with  extended  education,  have  created  a  taste 
for  reading,  which  it  has  become  extremely  difficult 
to  supply.  We  are  deplorably  deficient  in  books  for 
private  Christians  and  common  readers,  which  pos- 
sess interest  without  fiction — religion  without  sectari- 
anism— plainness  of  style  without  vulgarity — and  im- 
portance of  matter  without  being  above  general  com- 
prehension. These  excellences,  the  Editor  thinks  are 
eminently  displayed  in  this  little  volume. 

Most  works  of  this  kind,  since  Bunyan's  Pilgrim's 
Progress,  have  been  clumsy  imitations  of  that  immor- 
tal production,  and  have  fallen  into  merited  contempt. 
Keach  is  entitled  to  the  merit  of  originality,  not  less 
than  that  of  skill.  His  line  of  metaphor  is  wholly 
diverse  from  that  of  Bunyan.     While  that  delineates 


IV  PREFACE. 

the  progress  of  a  soul  in  sanctification,  this  depicts  re- 
ligion itself  as  a  pilgrim,  and  describes  the  treatment 
it  receives  from  the  various  orders  of  men.  In  point 
of  theological  accuracy,  devout  temper,  and  useful 
tendency,  the  Travels  of  True  Godliness  may  bear 
comparison  with  Pilgrim's  Progress.  The  admirers 
of  Bunyan  cannot  fail  to  be  pleased  with  Keach. 

Considerable  liberties  have  necessarily  been  taken 
with  the  style,  as  the  work  was  written  an  hundred 
and  fifty  years  ago ;  but  the  sentiments  liave  in  no  in- 
stance been  varied  in  the  least.  The  Memoir  has 
been  prepared  with  much  attention,  expressly  for  this 
edition  of  the  work. 

Those  who  adopt  as  one  of  their  modes  of  benevo- 
lence, the  distribution  of  awakening  tracts,  will  find 
this  happily  suited  to  their  purpose,  and  adapted  to  a 
great  variety  of  characters.  To  Christians  it  will 
prove  an  excellent  closet  companion,  containing  judi- 
cious aiid  satisfactory  helps  to  self-examination,  and 
designating  the  true  and  false  marks  of  grace,  with 
remarkable  precision.  May  the  divine  blessing  at- 
tend it. 

H.  M. 
Boston,  June  1,  1829. 


Rl  E  M  O  I  R 

OF 

REV.    BENJAMIN    KEACH. 


Bexja^iin  Keach  was  born  at  Stokehaiii,  in 
Buckinghamshire,  England,  Feb.  29,  1640.  He 
had  the  inestimal)le  blessing  of  pious  parents, 
but,  though  in  respectable  circumstances,  they 
were  unable  to  give  him  a  liberal  education, 
which,  at  that  day,  was  so  much  more  expen- 
sive and  difficult  than  at  present.  He  was, 
therefore,  placed  at  a  trade.  Soon,  however,  it 
was  perceived  by  his  uncommon  love  of  books, 
and  critical  manner  of  reading  the  Scriptures, 
that  the  employment  was  uncongenial.  He, 
notwithstanding,  continued  at  his  business  about 
three  years,  during  which  time  he  was  led  by 
observing  the  entire  silence  of  the  sacred  oracles 
on  the  subject  of  infant  baptism,  to  enter  on  a 
deliberate  examination  of  that  subject,  which 
resulted  in  his  joining  a  Baptist  church  in  that 
county. 

The  church  discovering  his  piety  and  talents, 
about  three  years  afterwards,  in   1658,  called 


him  to  the  solemn  work  of  the  ministry.  He 
was  now  in  his  18th  year,  and  for  about  two 
years  he  pursued  his  work  with  great  comfort 
and  success,  and  much  to  the  edification  of 
those  who  heard  him.  The  Baptists  in  the  part 
where  he  hved,  generally  held  the  sentiments  of 
the  Remonstrants,  or  Arminians,  and  from  these 
he  imbil)ed  and  maintained  it  ;  till  on  coming 
to  London,  where  he  had  an  opportunity  of  con- 
sulting both  men  and  books,  he  found  that  the 
different  opinions  upon  these  subjects  had  given 
rise  to  two  denominations  of  Baptists.  Exam- 
ining this  point  more  closely,  he  in  a  few  years 
came  to  a  clear  understanding  of  the  Calvinis- 
tic  sentiments,  and  continued  to  maintain  them 
during  life. 

In  the  year  1664,  he  wrote  a  little  book, 
which  many  of  his  friends  wished  him  to  pub- 
lish for  the  use  of  their  children.  This  request 
he  complied  with,  and  entitled  it.  The  Child's 
Instructor^  or  a  JVew  and  Easy  Primer.  He  did 
not  put  his  name  to  it,  and  procured  a  friend  to 
write  a  recommendatory  preface  ;  from  which 
it  seems  that  he  apprehended  that  it  would  ex- 
pose hijn  to  some  difficulties,  as  there  were  sev- 
eral things  in  it  contrary  to  the  doctrines  and 
ceremonies  of  the  church  of  England. 

This  book  was  no  sooner  printed,  and  some 
few  of  them  sent  down  to  him,  than  one  Mr. 
Stratford,  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  that  county, 
was  informed  of  it.  He  immediately  took  a 
constable  with  him,  and  went  to  the  house  of 
Mr.  Keach,  where  they  seized  all  the  books  they 


could  find,  and  bound  him  to  appear  at  the  as- 
sizes, to  answer  for  his  crime,  in  a  recognizance 
of  a  hundred  pounds  himself,  and  two  sureties 
of  fifty  pounds  each. 

The  assizes  commenced  at  Aylesbury,  Octo- 
ber the  8th,  1664,  and  Lord  Chief  Justice  Hyde, 
presided.  The  account  of  this  trial  shows  the 
shameful  prostitution  of  justice  resorted  to  in 
order  to  punish  the  nonconformists  in  those 
days  of  persecution. 

The  treatment  of  Mr.  Keach  during  this  trial, 
was  harsh  and  unreasonable,  and  the  sentence 
severe.     It  is  as  follows  : 

"  Benjamin  Keach,  you  are  here  convicted  for 
writing,  printing,  and  publishing  a  seditious  and 
schismatical  book,  for  which  the  court's  judg- 
ment is  this,  and  the  court  doth  award.  That  you 
shall  go  to  gaol  for  a  fortnight  without  bail  or 
mainprize ;  and  the  next  Saturday  to  stand  up- 
on the  pillory  at  Aylesbury,  in  the  open  market, 
from  eleven  o'clock  till  one,  with  a  paper  on 
your  head  with  this  inscription :  For  writings 
printins;,  and  publishing  a  schismatical  hook,  en- 
titled The  Child's  Instructor,  or  a  JVew  and  Ea^y 
Primer.  And  the  next  Thursday  to  stand,  in 
the  same  manner  and  for  the  same  time,  in  the 
market  at  Winslow  ;  and  then  your  book  shall 
be  openly  burnt  before  your  face,  by  the  com- 
mon hangman,  in  disgrace  of  you  and  your  doc- 
trine. And  you  shall  forfeit  to  the  king's  maj- 
esty the  sum  of  twenty  ponnds,  and  shall  remain 
in  gaol  until  you  find  sureties  for  your  good  be- 
haviour, and  for  your  appearance  at  the  next 
assizes ;    then  to  renounce  your  doctrines,   and 


8 


make  such  public  submission  as  shall  be  enjoin- 
ed you.     Take  him  away,  keeper!" 

All  the  attempts  of  his  friends  to  obtain  any 
abatement  of  this  sentence  were  ineffectual.  It 
was  executed  both  at  Aylesbury  and  Winslow, 
with  even  more  exactness  and  rigor  than  was 
customarily  used  toward  common  malefactors. 

Though  Mr.  Keach  seems  not  to  have  been 
daunted  by  persecution,  yet  considering  how 
much  it  obstructed  his  usefulness  in  Bucking- 
hamshire, and  how  much  greater  opportunities 
of  doing  good  would  be  afforded  him  in  the 
metropolis,  he  removed  to  London  in  1668. 

He  had  not  been  long  in  London,  before  he 
was  invited  to  settle  with  a  congregation  in  the 
Borough,  and  was  solemnly  ordained  by  impo- 
sition of  hands,  in  1668,  being  then  28  years  of 
age. 

During  four  years  afler  the  settlement  of  Mr. 
Keach,  they  were  obliged  to  meet  from  house 
to  house,  and  though  very  careful  to  prevent 
being  discovered,  they  were  twice  disturbed,  and 
some  of  them  indicted  to  appear  at  the  Quarter 
Sessions. 

In  1672,  when  the  declaration  of  indulgence 
was  published,  they  built  a  meeting-house  at 
the  corner  of  Stoney  Lane,  Horselydown.  It 
pleased  God  to  give  such  success  to  the  ministry 
of  Mr.  Keach,  that  they  soon  increased  so  con- 
siderably, that  the  place  was  frequently  enlarged 
till  it  became  capable  of  containing  nearly  a 
thousand  people. 

From  this  period  to  the  revolution  in  1688, 
Mr.  Keach  took  a  lively  interest  in  every  thing 


9 


which  related  to  tlie  Protestant  interest,  wrote 
several  of  his  best  works,  and  embraced  every 
opportunity  to  expose  the  iniquitous  scenes 
that  were  transacted  for  the  introduction  of 
Pojjery. 

Mr.  Keach  appears  to  have  taken  an  active 
part  in  the  general  assemblies  held  in  London 
in  1689,  &c.  He  was  requested  by  the  As- 
sociation, to  visit  the  Baptist  churches,  in 
several  parts  of  the  kingdom,  and  to  preach 
the  gospel  to  them.  In  this  journey,  he  was 
accompanied  by  Mr.  Benjamin  Dennis,  and 
was  attended  with  great  success.  His  zeal  for 
the  Baptist  denomination  appeared  by  writing 
in  defence  of  it ;  by  encouraging  ministers  who 
came  to  him  from  all  parts  of  the  kingdom  ;  and 
by  procuring  the  erection  of  several  meeting- 
houses for  the  worship  of  God. 

In  1692,  Mr.  Keach  engaged  in  a  contro- 
versy on  the  subject  of  baptism,  whh  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Burkit,  rector  of  Mildeu  in  Suffolk,  and  the 
well  known  author  of  the  exposition  of  the 
New  Testament. 

He  was  led  into  this  controversy  by  being  so- 
licited by  the  Rev.  J.  Tredwell,  pastor  of  the 
Baptist  congregation  at  Lavingham,  to  reply  to 
an  attack  on  him  and  his  people,  by  Mr.  Burkit, 
whose  parish  adjoined  Lavingham.  Mr.  B's 
piece  was  entitled  "  An  arffumentative  and  practi- 
cal Discourse  on  Infant  Baptism,''^  and  was  evi- 
dently written  in  great  heat  and  indignation 
The  administration  of  immersion  is  caricatured 
so  as  to  make  it  appear  both  ludicrous  and  dis- 


10 


gusting.      Mr.    Keach's  answer    was    entitled 
"  The  Rector  Rectified." 

Mr.  Keach  was  induced  to  reply  to  various 
other  publications  on  the  subject  of  baptism, 
which  frequently  extorted  rejoinders,  in  which 
he  was  not  always  treated  with  decorum.  Rus- 
sen  in  his  "  True  Picture  of  the  Anabaptists," 
published  1703,  not  only  asserted  in  broad  and 
general  terms,  that  this  sect  was  the  most  vile 
and  pernicious  that  had  ever  appeared  on  the 
face  of  the  earth,  holding  dangerous  errors,  and 
being  men  of  profligate  lives,  but  singled  out 
Mr.  Keach  by  iiame.  So  far  from  resorting  to  a 
civil  process  to  punish  such  an  accuser,  Mr. 
Keach  seems  to  have  taken  no  notice  whatever  of 
the  slander.  A  number  of  his  friends,  however, 
among  whom  were  two  members  of  Parliament, 
waited  on  the  author,  who  refused  to  name  his 
informant,  or  to  attempt  to  sustain  his  allegation. 
So  convinced,  however,  was  the  publisher  of 
the  injustice  and  cruelty  of  the  allegation,  that 
he  appended  to  the  book  a  certificate  signed  by 
twenty-eight  gentlemen,  among  whom  were 
some  of  the  principal  citizens  of  London.  In 
this  certificate  it  is  not  only  set  forth  that  the 
signers  are  "  entirely  satisfied  that  Mr.  David 
Russen's  assertion  in  his  book  entitled,  A  true 
Picture,  ^c."  in  which  he  assailed  Mr.  Keach's 
character,  "  is  false,  groundless,  and  mali- 
cious," but  the  most  honorable  testimony  is 
borne  to  his  character  as  a  christian  and  a  min- 
ister. Thus  did  he  shine  with  greater  lustre, 
and  his  books  acquire  more  extensive  cij-cula- 
tion. 


11 


Mr.  Keach  took  a  considerable  part  also  in 
some  controversies  among  the  Baptists,  on  sub- 
jects in  which  they  were  not  agreed.  Such  as 
laying  on  of  hands  on  baptized  believers.  The 
propriety  of  granting  ministers  a  maintenance 
for  their  labors.  Singing  the  praises  of  God  in 
pubhc  worship.  And  the  abrogation  of  the 
Seventh-day  Sabbath.        .: 

On  the  first  of  these  subjects,  viz.  Laying  on 
of  hands,  Mr.  K.  was  very  strenuous  for  its  being 
an  essential  requisite  to  church  membership, 
and  practised  it,  therefore,  on  all  he  baptized. 
The  Baptist  churches,  however,  have  never 
seemed  to  regard  this  dispute  as  of  any  impor- 
tance, and  his  book  produced  no  special  effect. 
On  the  subject  of  granting  ministers  a  full 
maintenance,  that  they  may  he  free  from  all  secu- 
lar anxieties,  he  assumed  the  affirmative,  and 
argued  in  the  most  conclusive  manner.  So 
satisfactory  was  his  treatment  of  the  subject, 
that  in  the  Assembly,  1689,  this  work  was 
particularly  recommended  by  the  whole  body  of 
ministers  and  messengers  of  107  churches. 

The  practice  of  singing  in  public  worship  was 
at  that  time  by  no  means  general  among  Bap- 
tist churches.  So  odious  had  been  the  pom- 
pous and  theatrical  music  of  the  Popish  Church, 
that  many  dissenters  in  reforming  from  the 
errors  of  that  community,  dispensed  wholly 
with  singing. 

Mr.  K.'s  treatise  on  this  subject  was  publish- 
ed in  1691,  entitled,  "  T/ie  Breach  in  God's 
Worship  repaired,^''  ^c.     In  this  controversy  his 


12 


success  was  very  conspicuous :  and  about  that 
time  many  of  the  churches  in  England  com- 
menced singing  as  a  part  of  the  public  service 
of  the  sanctuary.  He  did  not  succeed,  how- 
ever, in  reconciling  all  the  members  of  his  ov/n 
church ;  and  a  portion  of  them  withdrew,  re- 
taining the  same  principles  as  their  brethren, 
but  abolishing  the  use  of  psalmody,  except  at 
the  close  of  the  Lord's  supper.  This  was  the 
origin  of  the  church  in  Maze  Pond.  After  a 
few  years  it  conformed  to  what  was  become 
the  general  practice,  and  introduced  singing. 
We  notice  an  expostulation  made  by  Mr.  Keacli 
in  his  writings  during  this  controversy,  be- 
cause it  serves  to  show  the  inflexible  integrity 
of  the  early  Baptists,  in  adhering  to  what  they 
thought  Scripture  duty,  though  at  the  greatest 
hazard.  He  says :  "  Hath  not  the  chruch  sung 
at  breaking  of  bread  always  for  sixteen  or 
eighteen  years  last  past,  nor  would  omit  it  in 
the  time  of  the  late  persecution  ?"  No  doubt 
but  their  singing  the  praises  of  God  had  often 
disclosed  their  place  of  meeting  to  their  perse- 
cutors. And  as  their  Lord  went  from  the  sup- 
per to  the  garden,  and  from  thence  to  the  cross, 
so  they  had  often  left  the  Lord's  table  to  appear 
at  the  magistrate's  bar,  and  from  thence  be 
dragged  to  the  prison. 

His  work  on  the  Jewish  and  Christian  Sab- 
bath, was  published  in  1700,  entitled,  "The 
Jewish  Sabbath  abrogated :  or  the  Saturday 
Sabbatarians  confuted ;  in  two  parts. — First, 
Proving  the  abrogation  of  the  old  Seventh-day 


13 


Sabbath — Secondly,  That  the  Lord's  day  is  of 
divine  appointment.  This  was  occasioned  by 
some  of  his  people  embracing  those  sentiments. 
But  the  arguments  he  produced  prevented  their 
spread,  so  that  but  about  three  or  four  left  him 
to  unite  with  the  Sabbatarians. 

Archbishop  Tillotson  was  pleased  to  extol 
this  book,  and  pay  IMr.  Keach  many  marks  of 
favor.  This  acquaintance  between  them  was 
probably  owing  to  Mr.  John  Griswold,  pastor 
of  the  Baptist  church  in  Barbican,  for  whom 
this  pious  prelate  had  a  great  respect,  and  was 
often  one  of  his  hearers. 

The  respect  paid  by  Archbishop  Tillotson 
to  the  Baptist  probably  arose  from  the  circum- 
stance of  his  father,  who  was  "  remarkable  for  a 
good  understanding,  and  an  uncommon  knowl- 
edge of  the  Scriptures,"  being  a  Baptist.  This 
was  Mr.  Robert  Tillotson,  a  considerable  cloth- 
ier at  Sowerby,  in  the  parish  of  Halifax,  York- 
shire. He  embraced  the  sentiments  of  the  Bap- 
tists when  his  son  was  very  young ;  and  this 
gave  rise  to  the  report  that  the  Archbishop  had 
never  been  baptized  in  infancy,  and  led  Dr. 
Birch  to  say  in  his  sermon  before  the  house  of 
Commons,  January  30,  1694,  We  have  fa- 
thers of  the  church  ivho  never  ivere  her  sons.  To 
this  the  Archbishop  alludes  in  a  letter  to  Lady 
Russel,  August  1,  1692.  Speaking  of  King 
William,  he  says,  "If  it  please  God  to  preserve 
my  good  master,  and  to  grant  him  good  suc- 
cess, I  have  nothing  more  to  wisli  in  this  world, 
but  that  God  would  grant  children  to  this  ex- 
cellent prince  ;   and  that  I,  who  am  said  not  to 


14 


have  been  baptized  myself,  may  have  the  honor 
to  baptize  a  Prince  of  Wales."* 

Mr.  Keach  not  only  wrote  much  on  practi- 
cal subjects,  as  vs^ell  as  in  defence  of  the  truth,f 
but  at   times    engaged  in  public    disputations. 


*  Birch's  Life  of  Tillotson,  p.  2,  3,  298. 
t  His  Practical  Works  are, 

1.  The  child's  instructor,  or  a  new  and  easy  prim- 
mer. The  first  piece  he  wrote,  and  for  which  he  suf- 
ferred  so  much.     24mo.  1664. 

2.  A  summons  to  the  grave  ;  being  Mr.  John  Nor- 
cot's  funeral  sermon.     12mo.  167G. 

3.  TROPOLOGIA.  A  key  to  open  Scripture  met- 
aphors, 2  vols.  Folio.  1682.  A  second  edition  of  this 
work  was  published  by  the  London  booksellers  a  few 
years  since. 

4.  The  travels  of  true  godliness.     8vo. 

5.  The  progress  of  sin  ;  or  the  travels  of  ungodli- 
ness.    8vo. 

6.  The  counterfeit  Christian  ;  or  the  danger  of  hy- 
pocrisy.    4to.  1691. 

7.  The  marrow  of  justification  ;  being  several  ser- 
mons on  Rom.  iv.  5.    4to.     1692. 

8.  The  everlasting  covenant;  being  a  funeral  ser- 
mon for  Mr.  Henry  Forty.     8vo.  1693. 

9.  A  Trumpet  blown  in  Zion.     4to. 

10.  A  golden  mine  opened  ;  or  the  glory  of  God's 
rich  grace  displayed.     4to.  1694. 

11.  God  acknowledged  ;  being  a  sermon  on  a  par- 
ticular fast.     4to.  1696. 

12.  The  early  seeker,  and  love  ot  a  dying  Saviour. 
12mo.  1697. 

13.  The  articles  of  the  faith  of  the  congregation  of 
Horselydown.  With  the  glory  and  discipline  oi  a  true 
church  displayed.     12 mo.  1697. 


15 


One  of  these  public  discussions  was  with  the 
people  called  Quakers :  at  another  time  with 
Unitarians,  and  once  with  some  of  the  estab- 
lished clergy.  The  profitableness  of  this  mode 
of  controversy,  however,  is  extremely  doubtful. 


14.  The  display  of  glorious  grace  ;  or  the  covenant 
of  grace  opened.     8vo.  1G98. 

15.  Jacob's  ladder  improved.     8vo.  1698. 

16.  A  call  to  weeping  ;  or  a  warning  concerning 
present  miseries.     12mo.  1689. 

17.  Instructions  for  children.     24mo. 

18.  Gospel  mysteries  unveiled  ;  or  an  exposition  of 
all  the  parables,  &c.     Folio.  1704. 

His  Polemical  Works. 

19.  Mr.  Baxter's  arguments  for  believer's  baptism. 
A  sheet.     1674. 

20.  Darkness  vanquished  ;  being;  an  answer  to 
Danvers  on  the  laying  on  of  hands.     8vo.  1675. 

21.  Gold  refined ;  or  baptism  in  its  primitive 
purity.    8vo,  1689. 

22.  Light  broke  forth  in  Wales.     8vo. 

23.  The  gospel  minister's  maintenance  vindicated. 
12mo.  1689. 

24.  Antichrist  stormed  ;  or  the  Popish  church 
proved  to  be  mystery  Babylon.     8vo.  1689. 

25.  Pedobaptism ;  being  an  answer  to  the  Athe- 
nian Society.     4to.  1691. 

26.  Breach  repaired  in  God's  worship;  or  singing, 
&c.  &c.  8vo.  1691. 

27.  A  sober  reply  to  Mr.  Steed's  epistle  concern- 
ing singing.     8vo.  1691. 

28.  The  rector  rectified,  &c.     8vo.  1692. 

29.  The  axe  laid  to  the  root ;  or  one  blow  more  at 
the  foundation  of  infants'  baptism,  and  church  mem- 
bership.    Part  1.4to.  1693. 

30.    The  axe  laid  to  the  root ;  wherein  Mr.  Flavel's, 


16 


Notwithstanding  the  various  labors  in  which 
Mr.  Keach  engaged,  he  was  of  a  very  weak 
constitution,  and  often  afflicted.  He  was  at  one 
time  so  ill,  in  1689,  as  to  be  given  over  by  the 
physicians,  and  several  of  the  ministers  and  his 


Mr.  Rothwell's,  and   Mr.  Exall's  arguments  are  an- 
swered.    Part  II,  4to.  1693. 

31.  A  counter  antidote  ;  or  an  answer  to  Shute's 
antidote,  to  prevent  the  prevalence'  of  Anabaptism. 
4to.  1694. 

32.  A  medium  between  two  extremes.    8vo.  1698. 

33.  The  Jewish  Sabbath  abrogated,  &c.  8vo.  1700. 

34.  The  French  impostor  detected  ;  or  an  answer 
to  Zachary  Housel  and  Dr.  Coward,  who  denied  the 
soul's  immortality.    With  a  Frontispiece.    12mo.  1702. 

His  Poetical  Works  are, 

35.  Sion  in  distress,  &c.     8vo.  1666. 

36.  A  pillar  set  up  to  keep  in  remembrance  his 
first  dear  and  beloved  wife.     A  sheet,  1679. 

37.  War  with  the  Devil.     8vo. 

38.  The  glorious  lover.     6vo. 

39.  The  grand  impostor  discovered  ;  or  the  Qua- 
ker's doctrine  weighed  in  the  balance  and  found 
wanting.     8vo.  1674. 

40.  The  victorious  Christian,  or  the  triumph  of 
faith;   being  prison  meditations.     A  sheet.  1685. 

41.  Spiritual  melody;  containing  nearly  300 
hymns.  l2mo.  1696. 

42.  A  feast  of  fat  things  ;  containing  several  Scrip- 
tural songs  and  hymns.     12mo.  1696. 

"  Besides  which  (adds  Crosby)  he  prefixed  seve- 
ral prefaces  and  commendations  to  the  works  of 
others,  viz. 

A  Preface  recommendatory  to  Mr.  Balraford's  poem, 
entitled,  The  Seamans  spiritual  companion.  8vo. 
1678. 


17 


relations  -had  taken  leave  of  him,  as  a  dying 
man,  past  all  hopes  of  recovery.  "But  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Hansard  Knollys  seeing  his  dying  friend 
and  brother  in  the  gospel  near,  to  all  appear- 
ance, expiring,  betook  himself  to  prayer;  and  in 
an  earnest  and  very  extraordinaiy  manner,  beg- 
ged that  God  would  spare  him  and  add  unto  his 
days  the  time  he  granted  to  his  servant  Heze- 
kiah.  As  soon  as  he  had  ended  his  prayer,  he 
said,  'Brother  Keach,  I  shall  be  in  heaven  be- 
fore you,'  and  quickly  after  left  him.  So  re- 
markable was  the  answer  of  God  to  this  good 
man's  prayer,  that  I  cannot  omit  it ;  though  it  may 


A  Preface  to  Mr.  Prudom's  Truth  unveiled  by 
Scripture  light.     8vo.  1699. 

A  Preface  to  Mr.  Prudom's  new  world  discovered  ; 
in  which  Mr.  Keach  declares  his  opinion  of  the  mil- 
lenium.     I'^ino.  1704. 

An  Introduction  to  Mr.  Colman's  narrative  of  a 
schism  made  in  the  church  at  Kilbej  in  Leicester- 
shire. 

Some  of  the  works  of  Mr.  Keach  display  a  good 
share  of  learning  ;  but  this  was  supplied  bj  others. 
The  preface  to  his  Tropologia ;  or  A  Key  to  open  Scrip- 
ture metaphors,  was  written  by  the  famous  TJioma.s 
Delaune,  and  bears  his  signature,  T.  D.  Nor  did  Mr. 
Keach  wish  to  appear  in  borrowed  plumes,  since  he  ac- 
knowledges in  the  preface  to  the  Hector  Rectified,  as 
follows  :  '  Whereas  you  will  find  both  Hebrew,  Greek, 
Latin,  German,  Dutch,  made  use  of  either  more  or 
less  in  the  ensuing  answer,  I  would  not  have  you 
think  I  understand  all  these  languages ;  but  I  have 
had  the  assistance  of  a  learned  person,  (though  in 
that  case  only)  who  is  my  friend  and  acquaintance, 
that  so  the  work  may  be  more  fully  and  effectually 
done,'  " 

B 


18 


be  discredited  by  some,  there  are  yet  living  in- 
contestible  evidences  of  the  fact.  For  Mr. 
Keach  recovered  of  that  ilhiess,  and  lived  just 
fifteen  years  afterw^ards :  and  then  it  pleased 
God  to  visit  him  w^ith  that  short  sickness  which 
put  an  end  to  his  life."* 

During  this  illness  he  had  many  friends  w^ith 
him,  but  the  violence  of  his  distemper  soon  de- 
prived them  of  the  expectation  of  his  life. 
When  he  was  very  near  his  end,  Mr.  Joseph 
Stennet  was  sent  for ;  but  when  he  came,  Mr. 
Keach  was  not  able  to  say  much  to  him,  except- 
ing desiring  him  to  preach  his  funeral  sermon 
from  1  Tim.  i.  12.  I  know  in  whom  I  have  be- 
lieved^ and  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep 
that  which  I  have  committed  to  him  against  that 
day.  During  his  illness,  he  manifested  extraor- 
dinaiy  patience  and  resignation  to  the  divine 
will,  and,  with  much  composure,  told  his  wife 
that  he  had  recommended  her  to  a  better  hus- 
band— the  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  and  exhorted  his 
children  to  live  in  love,  peace,  and  unity,  and  in 
a  steadfast  adherence  to  Christ  and  his  ways. 
A  little  before  his  death,  his  eldest  daughter, 
who  was  one  of  the  people  called  Quakers, 
came  to  see  him,  with  whom  he  endeavoured 
to  converse,  and  manifested  a  great  eagerness 
and  desire  to  speak  with  her,  but  his  speech 
failing  prevented  him.  He  died  July  18,  1704, 
about  11  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  in  the 
64th  year  of  his  age.  On  the  following  Friday, 
his  remains  were  taken  from  his  meeting  house, 


*  Crosby's  History  of  the  English  Baptists. 


19 


at  the  corner  of  Stoney-lane,  to  the  Baptist's 
bur}-ing  ground  in  the  Park  Soiithwark.  A 
very  large  auditory  was  collected  to  hear  his 
funeral  sermon  ;  but  the  illness  of  Mr.  Stennet 
prevented  him  from  preaching  it  till  some  time 
afterwards.  The  sermon  was  not  printed, 
though  he  was  strongly  solicited  to  do  it. 

Mr.  Keach  had  been  twice  married.  His 
first  wife  was  a  Miss  Jane  Grove,  of  Winslow, 
in  Buckinghamshire,  "a  woman  of  great  piety 
and  prudence,"  to  which  might  have  been  add- 
ed, great  affection  and  fortitude,  which  she  man- 
ifested when  her  husband  was  set  in  the  pillory, 
by  standing  by  him,  and  defending  the  cause 
for  which  he  suffered.  This  good  woman  died 
October,  1670,  in  the  31st  year  of  her  age. 
This  was  a  very  great  affliction  to  him,  as  she 
was  a  very  tender  and  loving  wife,  and  had 
been  his  companion  in  sufferings  ten  years.  By 
her  he  had  five  children,  three  of  whom,  Mar^', 
Elias,  and  Hannah,  survived  him.  The  extra- 
ordinary affection  which  he  bare  to  her  memory 
was  manifested  by  his  writing  a  poem  on  the 
occasion  of  her  death,  which  he  entitled,  A  Pillar 
set  up,  assigning  as  his  reason,  the  example  of 
Jacob  :  And  Rachel  died  and  ivas  huried,  and  Ja- 
cob set  up  a  pillar  on  her  ^rave  ;  that  is  the  pillar 
of  RacheVs  grave  unto  this  day.  In  this  he  gave 
her  a  very  high  character,  commending  her  zeal 
for  the  truth,  sincerity  in  religion,  uncommon 
love  to  the  saints,  and  her  great  contentment  in 
whatsoever  condition  of  life  God  was  pleased  to 
place  her.  He  particularly  mentions  how  great 
an  help  and  comfort  she  was  to  him  in  his  suf- 


20 


fering  for  the  cause  of  Christ,  visiting  him 
while  in  prison,  and  taking  all  possible  care  of 
him,  and  encouraging  him  to  go  on,  counting  it 
an  honor  done  them  both,  in  that  they  were 
called  to  suffer  for  the  sake  of  Christ.  She 
was  of  a  heavenly  conversation  ;  her  discourse 
was  savory,  and  for  the  most  part,  about  spirit- 
ual things,  seeking  the  good  of  those  she  talked 
with  ;  and  in  this  she  was  so  successful,  that 
many  have  acknowledged  that  they  were  indebt- 
ed to  her  conversation  for  their  conversion  to 
God.  As  Mr.  Keacli  published  this  account  of 
her,  that  her  example  might  be  imitated  by  oth- 
ers, for  the  same  reason  we  have  thought  it 
worth  transcribing. 

After  being  a  widower  about  two  years,  he 
married  Mrs.  Susanna  Partridge,  of  Rickmans- 
worth,  in  Hertfordshire.  This  union  was  much 
to  his  comfort,  as  they  lived  together  in  great 
affection  thirty-two  years. 

"To  collect  eveiy  particular  transaction  of 
this  worthy  minister's  life,  cannot  be  expected, 
at  such  a  distance  of  time:  nay,  even  to  collect 
all  that  was  excellent  and  inimitable  in  hijn,  is 
too  great  a  task  to  be  now  undertaken.  I  shall 
only  observe  that  he  was  a  person  of  great  in- 
tegrity of  soul ;  a  Nathaniel  indeed  :  his  conver- 
sation not  frothy  and  vain,  but  serious,  without 
being  morose  or  sullen.  He  began  to  be  reli- 
gious early,  and  continued  faithful  to  the  last. 
He  discharged  the  duties  of  his  pastoral  office 
with  unwearied  diligence,  by  preaching  in  sea- 
son and  out  of  season,  visiting  those  under  his 
charffe,  encouraaring  the  serious,  defending  the 


21 


great  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  setting  them  in  tlie 
clearest  light.  He  was  not  addicted  to  utter 
hard  censures  of  such  as  differed  from  him  in 
lesser  matters,  but  had  a  love  for  all  saints,  and 
constantly  exercised  himself  in  this,  to  keep  a 
conscience  void  of  offences  towards  God  and 
towards  man.  He  showed  an  unwearied  en- 
deavor to  recover  the  decayed  power  of  reli- 
gion, for  he  lived  what  he  preached  ;  and  it 
l)leased  God  so  to  succeed  his  endeavors,  that  I 
doubt  not  but  some  yet  living  may  call  him 
their  father,  whom  he  hath  begotten  through  the 
gospel.  He  affected  no  unusual  tones,  nor  in- 
decent gestures  in  his  preaching — his  style  was 
strong  and  masculine.  He  generally  used  head 
notes,*  especially  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life  ; 
and  if  his  sermons  had  not  the  embellishments 
of  language,  which  some  boast  of,  they  had  this 
peculiar  advantage,  to  be  full  of  solid  divinity ; 
which  is  a  much  better  character  for  pulpit  dis- 
courses, than  to  say  they  are  full  of  pompous  el- 
oquence, and  flights  of  wit.  It  was  none  of  the 
least  of  his  excellent  qualifications  for  the  min- 
isterial work,  that  he  knew  how  to  behave  himself 
in  the  house  of  God,  in  regard  of  the  exercise  of 
that  discipline  which  is  so  necessary  to  a  Chris- 
tian society. 

"In  his  family,  he   was   very  exemplary,  en- 
couraging  the   first   appearances   of  piety,  and 


*  By  head  notes  are  meant  notes  containingr  the 
heads  and  chief  divisions  of  the  discourse,  with  the 
leading  thoughts  under  each  briefly  expressed  It 
were  to  be  wished  that  this  mode  of  preaching  was 
universal. 


22 


constantly  instructing  them  in  the  things  of  God, 
and  putting  them  in  mind  of  the  concerns  of 
their  souls,  praying  with  and  for  them.  He  was 
a  very  affectionate  husband,  a  tender  father,  a 
prudent  master,  and  a  constant  and  grateful 
friend."* 

Though  he  had  suffered  much  from  persecu- 
tion, his  temper  never  became  sour,  nor  his  re- 
ligion tinctured  with  austerity.  His  industry, 
both  in  preaching  and  writing,  was  astonishing. 
He  was  not  less  prudent  than  peaceable ;  not 
less  condescending  than  powerful ;  not  less  char- 
itable than  courteous.  Grave,  impartial,  and 
faithful,  he  managed  the  affairs  of  his  congre- 
gation with  success,  and  deported  himself  so 
as  to  secure  the  respect  of  his  most  inveterate 
enemies. 

The  chvn-ch  with  which  he  labored  thirty-six 
years,  and  with  which  he  died,  has  continued  to 
this  day:  and  though  several  churches  have 
been  formed  out  of  it,  remains  strong  and  flour- 
ishing. His  immediate  successor  was  Mr.  Ben- 
jamin Stinton,  after  whose  death,  the  learned 
Dr.  Gill  was  settled.  During  the  pastorship  of 
Dr.  Gill,  the  church  divided  : — he  and  his  breth- 
ren built  the  meeting-house  in  Carter  lane.  The 
remainder  built  a  meeting-house  at  Unicorn 
yard,  Horselydown,  and  chose  Mr.  William  Ar- 
nold pastor.  The  present  minister  in  Carter 
lane,  is  the  Rev.  John  Rippon,  D.  D.  who,  at  an 
advanced  age,  continues  ably  to  discharge  the 
laborious  duties  of  his  eminent  station. 


*  Crosby's  History  of  the  English  Baptists. 


TRAVELS 

OF 

TRUE    GODLINESS 


CHAPTER  I. 

True  Godliness  described. 

True  Godliness  being  a  great  stranger  to 
most  men,  and  indeed  known  but  by  few^ 
I  shall,  in  the  first  place,  before  treating  of  his 
Travels,  and  of  the  entertainment  he  meets 
with,  give  you  a  description  of  him.  Many 
persons  are  subject  to  so  great  an  error,  as  to 
take  Morality  for  him :  same  have  mistaken 
Counterfeit  Godliness  for  him ;  and  others, 
either  through  ignorance  or  malice,  rail  and 
ignominiously  call  him  Singularity,  Stubborn- 
ness, Pride  or  Rebellion.  These  last  declare 
him  not  fit  to  live,  being  a  seditious  disturber 
of  peace  and  order,  wherever  he  comes ;   yea, 


24 

such  a  factious  and  quarrelsome  companion, 
that  he  is  indeed  the  cause  of  all  those  unhap- 
py differences,  divisions,  troubles,  and  mis- 
eries, with  which  the  world  abounds.  I  con- 
clude, therefore,  that  nothing  is  more  necessa- 
ry, than  to  take  off  that  mask  which  his  impla- 
cable enemies  have  put  upon  him,  and  clear 
him  of  all  the  slanders,  and  reproaches  of  the 
sons  of  Belial.  When  he  is  thus  made  to  ap- 
pear in  his  own  original  and  spotless  inno- 
cency,  it  will  be  seen  that  none  need  be  afraid 
of  him,  or  be  unwilling  to  entertain  him,  or 
ashamed  to  own  him,  and  make  him  their  bo- 
som companion. 

Know,  therefore,  in  the  first  place,  that  God- 
liness consists  in  the  rifjht  knovvledue  of  di- 
vine  truths,  or  fundamental  principles  of  the 
Gospel,  which  all  men  ought  to  know,  and  be 
established  in,  that  would  be  saved.  "  With- 
out controversy,  great  is  the  mystery  of  godli- 
ness. God  manifested  in  the  flesh,  justified  in 
the  spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached  unto  the 
Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the  world,  and  received 
up  to  the  glory."  1  Tim.  iii.  16.  You  see 
from  this  text,  that  the  great  truths  of  the 
Christian  religion,  are  called  Godliness. 

Now,  should  any  demand  to  hear  more  par- 
ticularly what  are  those  principles  of  divine 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  25 

truth,  or  fundamentals  of  the  Christian  faith, 
which  are  the  essentials  of^  True  Godliness,''^  I 
answer, 

1.  That  there  is  one  eternal,  infinite,  most 
holy,  most  wise,  just,  good  and  gracious  God, 
or  glorious  Deity,  subsisting  in  three  distinct 
persons — the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Ho- 
ly Ghost ;  and  these  are  one — that  is,  one  in 
essence. 

2.  That  this  God,  out  of  his  great  love  and 
goodness,  hath  given  us  one  sure,  and  infalli- 
ble rule  of  faith  and  practice,  viz.  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  by  which  we  may  know,  not  only 
that  there  is  a  God  and  Creator,  but  the  man- 
ner of  the  creation  of  the  world,  together  with 
the  design,  or  reason,  wherefore  he  made  all 
things  ;  and  also  how  sin  came  into  the  world, 
and  what  righteousness  it  is  which  God  re- 
quires, to  our  justification,  or  discharge  from 
the  guilt  of  sin,  &c.  viz.  by  a  Redeemer^ — his 

*  What  djQ  fundamental  truths  and  what  their  num- 
ber, are  questions  of  grave  import  and  high  interest. 
Much  learned  labor  has  been  bestowed  on  these  ques- 
tions without  satisfactory  results.  The  following  ar- 
ticles are  perhaps  liable  to  as  few  objections  as  any 
which  have  been  drawn  up.  They  certainly  consti- 
tute a  true  outline  of  the  gospel  system,  whether  or 
not  the  belief  of  each  article  be  essential  to  salvation. 
C  Ed. 


26  TRAVELS    OF 

own  Son,  whom  he  sent  into  the  world.  There 
is  no  other  rule  or  way  to  know  these  things, 
so  as  for  men  to  be  saved,  but  by  revelation, 
or  the  sacred  records  of  the  holy  Scriptures^ 
the  mystery  of  salvation  being  iar  above  human 
reason,  and  to  be  known  by  the  natural  light 
in  men. 

3.  That  our  Redeemer,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  is  the  surety  of  the  new  covenant, 
and  only  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  is 
truly  God  of  the  essence  of  the  Father,  and 
truly  man  of  the  substance  of  the  virgin  Mary, 
consisting  of  these  two  natures  in  one  person; 
and  that  redemption,  peace,  and  reconciliation, 
are  by  this  Lord  Jesus  Christ  alone. 

4.  That  justification  and  pardon  of  sin  are 
alone  by  that  full  satisfaction  which  Christ 
made  to  God's  justice ;  and  are  apprehended 
by  faith  alone,  through  the  Holy  Spirit. 

5.  That  all  men  who  are,  or  can  be  saved, 
must  be  renewed,  regenerated,  and  sanctified 
by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

6.  That  there  will  be  a  resurrection  of  the 
bodies  of  all  men  at  the  last  day. 

7.  That  there  will  be  an  eternal  judgment^ 
that  is,  all  shall  be  brought  to  the  tribunal  of 
Jesus  Christ  in  the  great  day,  and  give  an  ac- 
count for  all  things  done  in  the  body ;  and  tha' 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  27 

there  will  be  a  future  state  of  glory  and  eter- 
nal happiness  of  all  true  believers,  and  of 
eternal  torment  and  misery  of  all  unbelievers 
and  ungodly  persons,  who  live  and  die  in  their 
sins. 

Now,  I  say,  in  the  true  knowledge  and  be- 
lief of  these  principles  (which  comprehend  the 
fundamentals  of  true  religion,  or  the  Christian 
faith)  does  True  Godliness  consist,  as  to  his 
essenticd  part.* 

Secondly,  Godliness,  as  to  his  imvard  parts, 
is  a  holy  conformity  to  these  sacred  and  di- 
vine principles,  which  natural  men  understand 
not.  Ti'ue  Godliness  consists  in  the  light  of 
supernatural  truths  and  life  of  grace,  God 
manifesting  himself  in  the  light  of  those  glo- 
rious principles,  and  working  the  life  of  su- 
pernatural grace  in  the  soul  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
It  consists  in  the  saving  and  experimental 
knowledge  of  God  and  Jesus  Christ ;  in  having 
the  evil   qualities  of  the   soul  removed,  and 

*  Many  readers  may  find  the  foregoing  articles  to 
express  their  creed,  whose  heart  remains  unmoved  : 
for  though  evangelical  piety  requires  an  evangehcal 
creed,  yet  the  truth  may  be  held  in  unrighteousness, 
Rom.  i.  18.  It  must  be  perceived  on  reading  the  fol- 
lowing description,  that  multitudes  who  claim  to  be 
Teligious,  have  no  right  to  the  appellation.  Ed. 


28  TRAVELS    OF 

heavenly  habits  infused  in  their  room.  Or  in 
a  gracious  conformity,  and  aifection  of  the 
heart  to  God,  cleaving  to  all  truths  made 
known  to  us,  and  finding  the  powerful  influ- 
ences of  the  gospel  and  spirit  of  Christ  upon 
us,  whereby  our  souls  are  brought  into  the  im- 
age and  likeness  of  his  death  and  resurrec- 
tion. This  is  True  Godliness.  Not  a  bare 
living  up  to  the  natural  principles  of  morality, 
nor  an  historical,  notional,  or  dogmatical  knowl- 
edge of  the  sacred  gospel  and  its  precepts, 
but  in  a  faithful  conformity  to  the  principles  of 
the  gospel,  discharging  our  duties  with  as 
much  readiness  and  faithfulness  towards  God 
as  towards  man,  so  that  our  conscience  may 
be  kept  void  of  offence  towards  both.  Acts 
xxiv,  16. 

It  consists  in  forsaking  sin,  and  loathing  it 
as  the  greatest  evil,  and  in  cleaving  to  God  in 
sincerity  of  heart,  valuing  him  above  all;  be- 
ing willingly  subject,  from  a  principle  of  di- 
vine love,  to  all  his  laws  and  appointments. 
Godliness  makes  a  man  say  with  the  Psalmist, 
"Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee?"  &c. 
Psal.  Ixxiii.  25.  St.  Austin  saith,  "He  loves 
not  Christ  at  all,  that  loves  him  not  above  all." 
He  that  entertains  True  Godliness,  is  as  zeal- 
ous for  the  ivork  of  religion,  as   for  the  wages 


TRUE    GObLINESS.  29 

of  religion.  Some  there  are,  who  serve  God, 
that  they  may  serve  themselves  upon  God. 
But  a  true  Christian  desires  grace,  not  only 
that  God  would  glorify  him  in  heaven,  but  that 
he  may  glorify  God  on  earth.  He  cries,  "  Lord, 
rather  let  me  have  a  good  heart,  than  a  great 
estate."  Though  he  loves  many  things  beside 
God,  yet  he  loves  nothing  above  God.  This 
man  fears  sin  more  than  suifering,  and  there- 
fore he  will  suffer  rather  than  sin. 

Thirdly,  That  you  may  have  a  complete 
and  perfect  knowledge  of  him,  it  may  not  be 
amiss  if  I  describe  his  form,  2  Tim.  i.  13,  and 
iii.  5,  together  with  the  habiliments  he  con- 
tinually wears.* 

The  external  parts  ol  True  Godliness  are 
very  beautiful ;  and  no  wonder  that  they  are 
so,  seeing  he  was  fashioned  by  the  wisdom  of 
the  only  wise  God  our  Saviour,  the  works  of 
whose  hands  are  all  glorious.  But  this,  viz. 
the  formation  of  Godliness,  being  one  of  the 
highest  and  most  admirable  contrivances  of 
his  eternal  .wisdom,  must  of  necessity  excel 

*  The  description  of  True  Religion  would  not  be 
complete  without  this  view  of  what  may  be  called  the 
externals  of  piety.  Every  thing  in  religion  is  important, 
and  such  as  deal  lightly  with  its  modes  and  or-« 
dinances  endanger  its  vitality,  £d» 


30  TRAVELS    OP 

in  glory  and  amiableness.  His  form  and  ex-* 
ternal  beauty,  therefore,  are  such,  that  he 
needs  no  human  artifice  to  adorn  him,  or  to 
illustrate  or  set  off  his  comeliness  of  coun- 
tenance ;  for  there  is  nothing  defective  as  to 
his  evangelical  and  apostolical  form,  as  he 
came  out  of  his  great  Creator's  hands.  And, 
as  there  is  nothing  from  head  to  foot  that  is 
superfluous,  so  every  line  and  lineament,  vein, 
nerve,  and  sinew,  are  in  such  an  exact  and 
admirable  order  placed,  that  to  his  beauty  there 
can  be  no  addition.  Every  one,  therefore, 
that  adds  to,  or  alters  any  thing,  touching  the 
form  of  True  Godliness,  mars  and  defiles  in- 
stead of  beautifying.  Besides,  God  hath  strict- 
ly forbidden  any  thing  of  this  nature  to  be 
done.  '*  Add  thou  not  unto  his  word,  lest  he 
reprove  thee,  and  thou  be  found  a  liar,"  (Prov. 
XXX.  6.)  by  ascribing  that  to  God  which  is 
none  of  his.  Do  not  the  Papists  call  those  su- 
perstitious and  vain  ceremonies  used  in  their 
church,  by  the  name  of  God's  worship  .?  And 
what  is  this  less  than  putting  a  lie-  upon  him  ? 
Besides,  it  reflects  upon  the  wisdom  of  God, 
to  attempt  to  change  or  alter  any  thing  in  the 
form  of  Godliness,  as  if  God  did  not  know 
best  how  he  himself  would  be  worshipped  ;  but 
must  be  indebted  to  man  for  his  help,  wisdom. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  31 

snd  contrivances,  touching  many  things  that 
are  called  decent  and  necessary.  And  does 
it  not  reflect  upon  the  care  and  faithfulness  of 
God,  to  suppose  that  he  should  not  himself  take 
care  to  lay  down  in  his  blessed  word  things 
which  are  all  necessary  to  the  form  of  Godli- 
jiess,  without  weak  man's  care  and  wisdom,  to 
supply  what  he  should  omit? 

All,  therefore,  may  perceive,  that  Tj^ue  God- 
liness never  changes  his  countenance :  he  is 
not  altered  in  the  least  from  the  aspect  he 
bore  in  primitive  times ;  nay,  there  is  indeed 
nothing  more  foreign  to  him  than  those  j^om- 
pous  garbs,  siipersfitious  vestments,  images, 
crossings,  salt,  oil,  holi/  icater,  and  other  cere- 
monies, which  are  by  many  thought  necessary 
to  his  existence.  Therefore  take  heed  you  do 
not  mistake  the  counterfeit  form  of  Godliness  for 
the  true  one.  It  is  only  necessary  to  note 
one  thing  more,  viz.  you  must  be  sure  to  re- 
ceive the  power  of  Godliness  with  his  form : 
for  his  form,  without  his  inward  life  and  power, 
will  do  you  no  good :  it  is  but  as  the  body 
without  the  soul,  or  the  shell  without  the 
kernel,  or  the  cabinet  without  the  jewel. 
Neither  ought  any  to  slight  his  form,  for  you 
may  remember  what  the  Apostle  speaks  of 
"the  form  of  doctrine,"   Rom.  vi.  17,  and  of 


32      TRAVELS  OF  TRUE  GODLINESS. 

''the  form  of  sound  words,"  2  Tim.  i.  13;  for 
as  the  true  faith  must  be  held  fast,  so  must 
the  profession  of  it  also.  You  may,  it  is  true, 
meet  with  a  shell  without  the  kernel ;  but  it 
is  rare  to  meet  the  kernel  without  the  shell ! 


CHAPTER  TI. 

Origin  and  Antiquity  of  True  Godliness^ 

Having  thus  briefly  given  you  the  descrip- 
tion both  of  the  inside  and  outside  power  and 
form  of  True  Godliness,  we  shall  proceed  to 
show  you  his  origin  and  early,  history. 

By  his  name^  God-Vmess,  or  Gof/-likeness, 
we  may  discover  from  whence  he  descends, 
and  learn  of  what  noble  parentage  he  is.  He 
is  indeed  high-born,  the  great  and  glorious  off- 
spring of  the  Lord  Jehovah,  the  Almighty 
Prince  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  King  of  kings, 
the  Lord  of  lords,  the  universal  Monarch  of 
the  world,  whose  kingdom  ruleth  over  all. 
And  as  this  is  his  noble  extraction,  so  he  is  al- 
ways in  high  favor  with  his  Prince  ;  for  there  is 
not  one  in  heaven  or  earth,whom  he  loves  more, 
or  in  whom  he  takes  more  delight,  than  in  True 
Godliness.  Nor  is  there  any  indeed  that  more 
resembles  him  in  all  the  earth  ;  for  he  bears 
his  express  and  heavenly  image;  yea,  and 
such  a  venerable  respect  and  gracious  esteem 
hath  he  of  him,  that  those  who  love  him,  he 
loves ;   those  who  hate  him,  he  hates  \   those 


34  TRAVELS    OP 

who  receive  him,  he  receives,  and  those  who 
reject  him,  he  rejects ;  where  he  comes  to 
dwell,  there  God,  Christ,  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
dwell. 

Godliness  is  o(  gresit  antiquity:  nay,  accord- 
ing to  the  description  we  gave  you  of  him,  in 
the  first  place,  we  may  well  say,  he  is  without 
beginning  of  days,  for  Truth,  (sometimes  he 
bears  that  name)  dwelt  in  God  from  everlast- 
ing. But  if  we  speak  of  his  antiquity,  in  re- 
spect of  his  dwelling  here  below,  the  first  man 
that  knew  him  was  Adam ;  who,  whilst  he 
stood  in  the  state  of  innocency,  enjoyed  his 
company,  but  by  the  malice  of  a  great  and 
potent  enemy  he  was  abused,  and  his  image 
so  defaced  and  marred,  that  he  forsook  his 
habitation,  which  was  the  ruin  of  our  first 
parents,  and  their  whole  posterity ;  and  had 
not  the  King  of  heaven  and  earth,  through  his 
infinite  wisdom,  provided  a  way  to  recover  man 
from  his  lost  estate.  Godliness  had  made  his 
abode  no  longer  on  earth ;  for  by  means  of 
corruption  of  nature,  there  was  brought  forth  a 
monster,  whose  name  was  F«ce,  otherwise  Lust^ 
who  found  so  much  favor  with  Adam's  chil- 
dren, that  Godliness  was  utterly  discounte- 
nanced. Though  he  was  the  offspring  of 
Heaven,  and  the  delight  of  Jehovah,  and  unto 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  35 

man  the  greatest  friend  and  benefactor,  striv- 
ing to  enrich  him,  cheer  his  heart,  and  make 
him  truly  noble  and  renowned  on  earth,  and 
bring  him  back  into  his  primitive  glory,  and 
thereby  at  last  make  him  eternally  happy  in 
in  heaven,  yet  he  was  so  lamentably  slighted, 
that  but  one  of  Adam's  offspring  favored  him 
at  that  time.  And  he,  for  entertaining  him 
with  that  just  and  good  respect  he  deserved, 
w^as  by  his  brother,  whose  name  was  Cain, 
basely  murdered.  Godliness^  by  this,  per- 
ceived very  early  with  what  kind  of  usage  and 
entertainment  amongst  the  children  of  men  he 
was  likely  to  meet.  And  truly  never  was 
there  any  one  so  nobly  descended,  and  of 
such  an  excellent,  peaceable  nature  and  be- 
haviour, so  dealt  with  as  Godliness  hath  been, 
from  the  beginning  to  this  day,  except  the 
Prince  of  Godliness  himself.  Yet  he  found 
some  friends  after  Abel  was  slain,  who  enter- 
tained him  kindly  :  and  though  they  were  re- 
proached, hated,  and  persecuted  for  showing 
favor  to  him,  yet  they  never  lost  by  him,  but 
were  infinite  gainers  ;  nay,  so  great  a  friend 
was  he  to  the  next  man*  u'ho  eminently  em- 
braced him,  that  he  saved  him  from  the  grave  ; 
he  sent  him  to  heaven   without  calling  at  the 

*  Enoch. 


OO  TRAVELS    OF 

gate  of  death.  It  is  impossible  to  describe 
what  sweet  and  heavenly  communion,  true 
joy  and  felicity,  this  good  man  had  with  God- 
liness, for  the  space  of  three  hundred  years ; 
for  so  long  they  abode  together.  Some  time 
after  this  great  Prince  (for  so  they  are  all  made 
who  entertain  True  Godliness,)  was  carried  to 
heaven,  the  dominion  of  Vice  became  so  com- 
plete, and  the  guilt  of  men  grew  to  such  an 
awful  magnitude,  that  Jehovah  was  constrained 
to  destroy  them  from  the  earth,  by  a  fearful 
and  amazing  flood  of  water.  There  was,  at 
this  time,  but  one  man  on  earth,*  who  was  an 
eminent  lover  of  Godliness,  though  it  is  not  to 
be  doubted  but  his  wife  and  sons,  especially 
two  of  them,  were  likewise  in  some  measure 
friends  to  him.  Noah  was  commissioned  to 
advocate  the  cause  of  virtue  and  the  character 
of  True  Godliness  by  public  preaching  for 
one  hundred  and  twenty  years;  but  so  pre- 
dominant was  sin,  we  are  not  informed  of  the 
least  impression  being  made  on  any  heart. 

To  proceed  in  this  brief  account  of  the  anti- 
quity of  Godliness,  we  shall  speak  of  the  next 
renowned  man,t  who  entertained  him,  and 
how  he  was  blessed  in  so  doing.  This  man 
lived  for  sometime  amongst  a  blind  and  idola- 

*  Noah.  t  Abraham. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  37 

trous  people,  and  was  ignorant  of  True  God- 
liness ;  but  when  he  became  acquainted  with 
him,  few  men  ever  loved  him  more  ardently. 
He  made  him  his  bosom  companion,  and  chief 
delight  (and  so  indeed  must  every  one  that 
entertains  him;)  and  hereby  he  became  great, 
and  his  glory  and  renown  were  spread  abroad. 
Indeed,  because  he  cherished  True  Godliness, 
he  was  called  the  *'  friend  of  God,"  and  the 
father  of  all  true  lovers  of  Godliness  :  and  be- 
sides the  outward  blessings  this  faithful  man 
reaped  as  the  fruit  or  reward  of  Godliness, 
which  were  many,  for  he  had  much  cattle, 
men-servants,  sheep,  camels  and  asses  ;  he  was 
blessed  also  with  all  spiritual  blessings,  viz,  he 
had  sweet  fellowship  and  communion  with  God, 
and  abounded  in  faith,  love,  and  joy,  in  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

I  might  proceed  further,  and  describe  those 
who  entertained  Godliness  in  the  succeeding 
ages,  for  the  space  of  more  than  two  thousand 
years,  and  relate  what  great  blessings  he 
brought  them,  and  what  they  suffered  for  his 
sake ;  but  I  forbear.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that 
some  he  saved  from  Sodom.  One,  who  cleav- 
ed to  him  notwithstanding  the  envy  and 
treachery  of  his  brethren,  and  the  enticements 
of  a  mistress,  he  raised  to  great  power  and  re- 


38  TRAVELS    OP    TRUE    GODLINESS. 

nown.  Another,  who  refused  the  pleasures  of 
sin  for  a  season,  choosing  rather  to  follow  God- 
liness and  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of 
God,  he  promoted  to  rule  and  made  him  lawgiv- 
er to  a  great  nation.  Another,  for  his  adherence 
to  Godliness,  was  raised,  from  following  sheep, 
to  be  King  in  Israel,  with  great  honour. 

1  might  show  too  how  in  ancient  days  God- 
liness  was  very  much  hated  and  persecuted  ; 
some  of  his  friends  were  cast  into  a  fiery  fur- 
nace, and  another  into  a  lion's  den  ;  yet  they 
never  lost  any  thing  by  him,  nor  did  they  ever 
repent  the  entertainment  they  gave  him.  Trac- 
ing him  into  later  times,  we  see  what  usage 
he  met  with  in  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  and  his  blessed  Apostles.  Afterwards, 
by  heathen  Emperors,  he  was  most  cruelly 
hated  and  persecuted  ;  and  those  who  enter- 
tained him  were  put  to  all  manner  of  deaths 
and  torments  imaginable.  Lastly,  we  show 
what  hard  usage  he  met  with  by  Counterfeit 
Godliness,  I  mean  Popery,  for  nearly  twelve 
hundred  years ;  and  how  many  of  his  dear 
children  and  servants  have,  for  the  sake  of  him, 
been  burnt  to  death,  and  otherwise  tormented, 
in  most  of  the  nations  in  Europe.  But  what 
has  been  said  is  sufficient  in  relation  to  the 
antiquity  of  True  Godliness^  and  his  various 
treatment  in  former  days. 


CHAPTER  III. 

7^he  chief  Enemies  of  Godliness- 

Having  given  a  brief  account  of  the  origin 
and  early  history  of  True  Godliness,  it  may 
not  be  amisSj  before  I  come  to  treat  of  his 
Travels  and  entertainment  in  these  latter  daySj 
to  give  a  description  of  some  of  his  chief  ad- 
versaries, that  true  lovers  of  Godliness  may  be 
aware  of  them ;  and  those  who  have  a  mind  to 
be  acquainted  with  him,  and  are  hindered 
from  receiving  him  into  their  houses,*  may 
know  the  cause  and  reason  of  it. 

1.  One  of  the  chief  enemies  of  this  great 
favorite  of  heaven,  is  the  Devil ;  nor  is  there 
any  one  that  more  perfectly  hates  him. 

2.  The  Flesh. 

3.  The  World. 

But  this  general  description  is  not  sufficient 
to  discover  the  great  danger  men  are  in,  by 
certain  emissaries  and  servants  of  those  grand 
adversaries  which  many   are   ready  to  enter- 

*  Thai  is,  into  the  heart.  The  author  in  all  the  re- 
mainder of  his  work,  keeps  up  this  figure.  Ed, 


40     TRAVELS  OF  TRUE  GODLINESS. 

tain  as  friends,  not  suspecting  their  fatal 
danger.  I  shall,  therefore,  give  you  an  ac- 
count of  a  few  of  them,  and  tell  you  their 
names.  1.  Unbelief.  %  Pride.  3.  Vain- 
Glory.  4.  Formality.  5.  Hypocrisy.  6. 
Opposition.  7.  Heresy.  8.  Superstition.  9. 
Idolatry.  10.  Prosperity.  11.  Persecution. 
12.  Ignorance.  13.  Blind-Zeal,  14.  Vain- 
Hope,  15.  Sloth  or  Idleness.  16.  Covet- 
ousness.  17.  Custom.  18.  Evil-Example. 
19.  Self-Righteouness.  20.  Presuinption. 
21.  Despair.  22.  Slavish-Fear.  23.  xSen- 
siial-P  lea  sure ;  and  24.  Apostacy :  with  many 
others  too  numerous  here  to  reckon  up ;  but 
by  mentioning  the  names  of  these,  you  may 
easily  discern  who  and  what  the  others  are, 
who  with  their  attendants  are  all  implacable 
enemies  to  True  Godliness,  and  endeavor  to 
hinder  his  being  entertained  where  he  comes, 
as  you  will  find  in  the  ensuing  history  of  his 
Travels.* 

*  If  he  be  not  a  guest  with  you  at  this  time,  reader, 
examine  which  of  these  evils  keeps  him  out  of  your 
heart.  Then  pray  mightily  that  your  bondage  to  sin 
may  be  broken.     This  is  your  day  of  mercy.        Ed. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Godliness,  having  received  a  Commission  to  travel, 
and  visit  the  Children  of  Men,  comes  to  a  certain 
Town  on  the  Confines  of  Babylon,  where  Riches 
dwelt.     His  Usage  and  Treatment  there- 

The  Great  Jehovah,  Father  of  True  Grace 
or  Godliness,  out  of  his   infinite  goodness  to 
mankind,  was  graciously  pleased  to  send  them 
a  Saviour,  even  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is 
''  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  to 
God  by  him."  Heb.  vii.  25.     But  in  his  eternal 
wisdom   he   hath  so   ordained,  that   no   man 
should  have  any  saving  benefit  by  this  glorious 
Saviour,  but  he  who  receives,  entertains,  and 
embraces   True  Godliness.     Godliness,  there- 
fore, received  a  commission  from  the   King  of 
heaven  and  earth,  to  travel  and  ascertain  who 
would  embrace  and  entertain  him.     His  com- 
mission  was   very  large ;  not  limited   to  the 
land  of  Canaan,  but   embracing   all   nations, 
countries,  and  kingdoms.  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20. 
Mark   xvi.   15.     He  was  sent  to  visit  the  rich 
and  the  poor,  the  old  and  young  ;   as  well  the 
D 


42  TRAVELS    OF 

king  on  the  throne  as  the  beggar  in  his  hovel  j 
even  all,  bond  and  free,  male  and  female. 
Nor  was  he  required  to  travel  alone,  but  was 
allowed  a  rich  and  glorious  retinue  to  be  always 
with  him.  Neither  did  he  come  to  any  man's 
house  empty-handed,  but  brought  with  him 
most  rich  and  glorious  presents  of  the  choicest 
things  of  heaven,  the  worth  of  which  is  infinite- 
ly beyond  our  computation.* 

I  first  saw  him  draw  near  to  a  city  in  which 
Riches  dwelt — a  man  to  whom  great  deference 
was  paid  by  the  inhabitants,  and  into  whose 
noble  mansion  1  hoped  he  would  be  readily 
welcomed. 

Godliness  knocked,  however  very  hard  and 
often,  before  any  within  would  give  an  answer, 
Riches  being  full  of  business,  either  telling  his 
money,  or  casting  up  his  accounts,  to  see  what 
his  neighbors  owed  him,  or  consulting  new 
projects  to  increase  his  store :  for  he  is  a  per- 
son never  satisfied.  Besides,  the  times  being 
precarious,  his  mind  was  filled  with  perplexing 
and  vexatious  thoughts,  how  to  save  and  keep 
what  he  had  already  gotten ;    so  that   he  had 

*This  retinue  is  the  blessed  train  of  Christian 
graces,  and  the  presents  are  the  precious  comforts  of 
religion  in  this  life  and  the  rich  glories  of  a  future 
heaven.  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  43 

no  leisure  to  listen  to  the  continual  knocking 
of  True  Godliness  at  his  door,  who  was  there- 
fore forced  to  wait  a  long  time.  But  that 
which  grieved  this  high-born  prince  most  of 
all  was,  that  no  sooner  did  some  other  guests 
come  to  his  door,  who  were  much  inferior,  as 
to  birth  and  quality,  and  indeed  not  worthy  of 
the  least  regard,  not  having  business  of  that 
great  weight  and  moment  with  him  which  he 
had,  than  the  door  was  immediately  opened  to 
them.  V/hen  Godliness  tried  to  enter  among 
these,  he  was  violently  resisted  by  the  servants, 
who  seemed  more  averse  to  him,  than  even 
their  master. 

The  guests  to  whom  he  so  readily  opened, 
were  "the  Lust  of  the  Flesh,  the  Lust  of  the 
Eyes,  and  the  Pride  of  Life,"  1  John  ii.  16. 
These,  Riches  took  much  delight  in,  and  as- 
sociated with  continually.  Sometimes  they 
conducted  him  to  the  tavern,  sometimes  to  the 
play,  and  sometimes  amused  him  at  bowls, 
cards,  and  dice,  and  other  sensual  sports  and 
pleasures. 

At  last  he  was  taken  very  sick,  while  Godli- 
ness  still  waited  at  his  door.  At  this  time  one 
was  in  his  house,  who  forced  him  to  listen  to 
this  earnest  and  continual  knocking.  His 
name  was  Mr.  Fearful.    He  is  one  that  Riches 


44 


TRAVELS    OF 


doth  not  at  all  love,  but  when  sickness  comes 
he  is  grievously  troubled  with  him;*  and  he 
made  him  at  this  season  cry  out,  Who  is 
there  ?    Who  is  at  my  door  ? 

Godli.  I  am  here,  and  have  a  long  time 
waited  at  your  door. 

Riches,  What  is  your  name  ? 

Godli.  My  name  is  True  Godliness,  one  that 
you  have  little  reason  to  slight,  neglect,  and 
condemn  as  you  have  done ;  for  there  is  none 
of  whom  you  stand  more  in  need,  or  who  can 
do  you  that  good  which  I  can  and  will  do,  if 
you  but  open  your  door  and  receive  me. 

Riches.  Sir,  I  am  troubled  that  I  have  not 
regarded  you  all  this  while,  for  I  have  a  great 
reverence  and  respect  for  Godliness ;  God  for- 
bid I  should  keep  you  out  any  longer  ! 

Upon  this  the  whole  house  was  in  an  uproar, 
for  he  had  (as  I  told  you  before)  divers  loose, 
ill-bred,  or  rather  hell-bred  servants,  all  bitter 
enemies  to  True  Godliness  ;  their  names  were 
Presumption,  Pride,  Unbelief,  Ignorance, 
Malice,  Vain-hope,  Covetousness,  and  several 
other  base  persons,  whom  he  had  brought  up, 
and  a  long  time  cherished  in  his  house.    These 

*The  more  sensually  and  carelessly  men  live  when 
at  ease,  the  more  violent  is  their  distress  and  alarm 
at  the  apprehension  of  immediate  death.  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  45 

seemed  greatly  concerned,  that  the  least  heed 
or  attention  should  be  given  to  True  Godli- 
ness. They  also  inquired  who  was  the  cause 
of  the  proposal  to  admit  Godliness.  At  last, 
understanding  it  was  Mr.  Fearful,  they  pres- 
ently joined  together  to  fall  upon  him,  and  ex- 
pel him  from  the  house.  Presumption  struck 
the  first  blow,  and  spoke  to  this  purpose  : 

Presump.  Are  not  you  a  base  fellow,  so  to 
disturb  my  master,  as  to  cause  him  to  doubt  of 
the  sufficiency  of  his  strong  and  impregnable 
fortification,*  wherein  he  hath  long  and  satis- 
factorily placed  his  confidence,  and  now  to 
force  him  to  incline  to  open  to  True  Godliness, 
who  is  our  utter  enemy  ?  Is  not  our  master  an 
honest  man  ?  With  what  wrong  can  you 
charge  him  1  What  cause  or  ground  is  there 
for  this  disturbance  ?  Hath  he  not  done  much 
good  in  the  parish  where  he  lives,  and  given 
many  a  piece  of  bread  at  his  door  ?  1  engage 
it  will  go  well  with  him.  Fearful,  what  do 
you  say  ? 

Fearful.  Truly,  Sir,  seeing  him  very  sick,  I 
thought  he  might  die  in  his  sins. 

*  It  is  the  snare  and  guilt  of  the  rich  to  trust  in  riches. 
This  it  is,  and  not  the  mere  j^ossession  of  wealth,  that 
makes  it  "  hard  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God."  Ed. 


46  TRAVELS    OF 

Presump.  Thou  fool !  what  if  he  should, 
did  not  Jesus  Christ  die  for  sinners  ?  God  is 
merciful,  and  will  forgive  men  their  sins  at  any 
time,  even  at  the  last  hour,  if  they  do  but  call 
upon  him.  Besides,  Fearful,  are  you  not  mad, 
to  give  way,  much  more  to  force  him  to  incline 
to  open  to  True  Godliness  1  for  if  once  he  is 
admitted  to  the  house,  you  will  be  immediate- 
ly turned  out,  and  hardly,  if  ever,  have  the 
least  countenance. 

Fearful,  Truly,  Presumption,  the  fault  was 
not  principally  mine  ;  I  was  partly  forced  to  do 
what  I  did. 

Presump.  Forced  ?  by  whom  ?  who  forced 
you? 

Fearful.  It  was  the  steward  of  the  house, 
who  keeps  the  records,  or  an  account  of  all 
that  is  done,  whose  name  is  Conscience.  He, 
finding  much  guilt  lying  upon  Riches  through 
his  cruelty,  hard-heartedness,  and  debauched 
life,  stirred  me  up  to  do  what  I  have  done  : 
nay,  Conscience  told  him  he  had  been  so  vile 
and  graceless,  that  if  he  died,  he  would  go  im- 
mediately to  hell ;  therefore  you  cannot  cen- 
sure me  for  disquieting  him. 

Pride.  Hearken  to  me  a  little,  fellow  ser- 
vants. Is  it  not  below  such  a  brave  and 
heroic   spirit  as  always  attends   Riches,  to  be 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  47 

troubled  about  sin,  or  to  give  way  to  a  clamor- 
ous Conscience,  B.nd  this  iWbred  Fearful  t  I 
hate  the  thoughts  of  it ;  this  is  the  way  to 
bring  him  to  reproach  and  shame  amongst  his 
neighbors,  and  to  make  men  of  distinction, 
who  have  been  his  companions,  laugh  at  him, 
and  contemn  him.  My  great  prince,  Lucifer^ 
sent  me  into  his  service,  and  I  will  not  be- 
tray my  trust,  ever  to  consent  that  this  un- 
welcome and  hateful  traveller  should  be  ad- 
mitted, who  would  beguile  my  prince  of  his 
right. 

Unbelief.  Dear  sirs,  there  is  no  danger.  I 
agree  with  my  friend  and  brother.  Presumption, 
that  his  condition  is  good  enough,  let  Con- 
science say  what  he  will.  If  there  be  a  hell, 
(though  I  much  question  it,)  yet  he  will  go, 
should  he  die,  I  will  assure  you,  to  heaven. 

Ignor.  What  a  tumult  is  here  !  If  our  mas- 
ter were  poor,  there  might  be  some  ground  for 
this  base  Fearful,  to  disquiet  him.  I  can  give 
as  good  counsel  as  any  of  you  :  "  Money 
answers  all  things ;"  he  may  "  make  him  friends 
with  the  mammon  of  unrighteousness;"  let 
him  give  a  little  more  than  usual  to  the  poor, 
and  that  will  merit  God's  favor.  Who  would 
not  part  with  a  little  money,  to  get  peace  of 


48  TRAVELS    OF 

conscience,  and  purchase  a  place  in  heaven?* 
Charity  is  more  than  all  your  new  notions  of 
religion :  Charity  covers  a  multitude  of  sins. 
Though  I  know  but  little,  yet  I  am  not  such 
an  ignoramus  as  some  think. 

Vain- Hope.  I  am  of  the  mind  with  my 
brother,  Unbelief;  and  it  was  I  also,  you  know, 
who  have  kept  up  his  spirits  all  along,  and  did 
what  T  could  to  stop  steward  Conscience  from 
giving  way  to  3Ir.  Fearful  to  open  the  door  : 
let  him  therefore  put  his  trust  in  me,  and  ^  he 
need  fear  nothing. 

Presiimp.  Come,  cease  this  noise ;  all  is  well 
yet:  Godliness  is  not  let  in,  and  our  master  is 
much  better  than  he  was ;  and  though  Con- 
science inclines  to  embrace  this  our  enemy,  yet 
you  will  find  he  will  not  be  regarded  in  a  little 
while.  Let  us  all  agree,  at  present,  to  stir  up 
our  Master's  eldest  son,  whose  name  is  Honor, 
the  father's  favorite,  and  the  hopes  of  all  the 
family,  to  see  what  he  can  effect,  in  order  to 
keep  our  enemy  Godliness  out.  Now  our 
friend  Pride  is  the  fittest  to  be  employed  in 

'^  When  rnen  relentlessly  gripe  their  money  during 
life,  and  just  as  they  leave  the  world,  make 
magnificent  bequests  to  charitable  uses,  there  is  no 
small  reason  to  fear  that  "  Jgnorance,^^  has  been  their 
counsellor.  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  49 

this   work  ;    for  he  is  much  in  favor  with  this 
high  minded  lad. 

After  a  short  time  it  resuhed  thus  :  Riches 
being  recovered,  he  consulted  with  Worldly- 
Honorj  a  great  enemy  to  True  Godliness^ 
which  was  one  reason  why  the  Almighty  said  a 
great  while  ago,  **  How  can  ye  believe,  that 
receive  honor  one  of  another,  and  seek  not  the 
honor  that  conieth  from  God  only  ?"  John  v. 
44.  Now  Pride,  Ambition,  and  Honor,  being 
all  three  the  natural  offspring  of  Riches,  so 
much  possessed  his  affection,  that  Godliness 
was  kept  out,  (making  good  that  word,  "  The 
wicked,  through  the  pride  of  his  countenance, 
will  not  seek  after  God — God  is  not  in  all  his 
thoughts:")  and  Conscience  being  at  this  time 
almost  stifled,  Fearful  was  forced  to  fly  and 
conceal  himself  till  another  season.  But  God- 
liness remained  at  his  door  for  a  long  time — 
even  till  he  waxed  old  ;  and  Conscience,  having 
recovered  a  little  strength  by  reason  of  his  go- 
ing now  and  then  to  hear  a  sermon,  stirred  up 
Mr.  Fearful  again  to  open  the  door,  and  had 
almost  prevailed,  had  not  a  base  servant  of 
Riches,  (who,  I  take  it,  was  his  Purse-hearer,) 
bestirred  himself.  His  name  was  Covetous- 
E 


50  TRAVELS    OP 

ness*  an  implacable  enemy  to  True  Godliness. 
He,  perceiving  that  Godliness  was  like  to  meet 
with  some  entertainment,  spoke  to  Riches  after 
this  sort : 

Covet.  Sir,  will  you  be  so  unwise  now  in 
your  old  age,  as  to  open  your  door  to  this 
stranger  ?  It  will  be  to  your  great  injury,  I 
assure  you  :  and  besides,  I,  who  have  been  a 
drudge  to  you  all  along,  and  the  means  by 
which  you  have  gained  most  of  your  estate, 
shall,  at  the  very  instant  you  receive  him  into 
your  house,  be  turned  out ;  nay,  and  not  only 
so,  but  be  also  brought  under  a  severe  sentence, 
and  be  condemned  to  die  for  idolatry.  And 
then  your  treasures  will  fly ;  for  you  will  find 
him  a  chargeable  gentleman,  teaching  a  doc- 
trine that  I  am  sure  you  hate  ;  and  I  cannot 
blame  you,  for  it  is  very  destructive  to  your 
interest. 

Riches.  What  doctrine  is  that?  Prithee,  in- 
form me,  for  I  have  a  very  great  esteem  for 
thee ;  and  in  truth,  for  a  long  time  have  been 
sensible  of  the  service  thou  hast  done  me ;  for 

*  t)iflferent  sins  beset  us  at  different  ages.  He  who 
neglects  religion  in  early  Ufa,  that  he  may  amass  a 
fortune,  and  in  middle  life,  that  he  may  pursue  honor, 
contiinues  in  old  age  to  be  negligent  through  the  force 
of  coretousnegs.  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLIN'BSS.  51 

when  1  kept  my  old  servant  Prodigality  for  s 
purse  keeper,  I  could  never  thrive;  but  since 
I  met  with  thee,  I  have  increased  my  substance 
exceedingly. 

Covet.  Why,   sir,  then  I  will  tell  you ;    he 
teaches  Riches  to  be  what  he  calls  rich  in  good 
works,  that  is,  generous  in  building  up  religion 
in  the  world,  and  to  follow  a  new  master,  who 
had  not  one  foot  of  land  in  all  the  world,  nor  a 
house  to  dwell  in ;  no,  nor  one  penny  of  money  ,•: 
and  whose  disciples  are  generally  poor,  illiter- 
ate and  contemptible  people.    Sir,  in  a  word,  if 
you  open  to    Godliness,  you  will    be  undone  ; 
for  though  you  are  not   put  upon   selling   all' 
you    have  presently,  as  some  that    would  have 
received  him  in  ancient  days  were  required  to 
do,  yet  you  will  be   forced  to  give  to  the  poor 
saints,  as  they  call  them,  not  merely  a  little,  but 
according  to  what  your  estate  and  their  neces- 
sity are.     Nay,  you  will  never  know  when  you 
have  done,  for  he  will  find  out  for  you  every  day 
new  objects  of  charity;    he  will  tell  you  there 
are  so  many   poor   heathen  without   Bibles  or 
teachers,    and   so   many    poor    and    desolate 
churches,  so  many  poor  widows,  and  so  many 
neglected   children    in  the  city,  and    nobody 
knows  what  other   objects  of  charity,  (as  he 
calls  them)  for  whom  efforts  must   be   made; 


52  TRAVELS    OF 

and  who  should  do  it,  he  will  say,  but  Riches ; 
nay,  it  is  a  thousand  to  one,  if  he  do  not  put 
you  to  build  an  hospital,  or  endow  some  profes- 
sorship. Besides,  when  you  have  done  this, 
he  will  not  let  you  rest,  but  will  tell  you  when- 
soever Christ's  members  are  sick,  you  must 
visit  them;  and  when  hungry,  feed  them; 
when  naked,  cloth  them  ;  and  when  in  prison, 
you  must  relieve  them.  And  then,  if  times  of 
persecution  for  the  sake  of  religion  should 
come,  he  will  send  you  to  prison,  to  see  if 
Christ  be  not  there;  I  mean  some  of  his  poor 
children,  who  lie  there  for  his  sake.  If  there 
be  any,  though  they  may  not  in  all  points  of 
religion  agree  with  you,  yet  he  will  tell  you, 
you  must  not  let  them  want,  whilst  you  have 
enough  to  supply  their  necessity  ;  and  if  you 
do.  he  will  tell  you,  "Go,  ye  cursed,"  &,c. 
will  be  your  portion  at  last.  Besides  all  this, 
you  do  not  think  what  an  amount  of  money 
he  will  tell  you  it  is  your  duty  to  give  to 
Ministers  of  the  gospel,  who  are  his  great  in- 
struments and  promoters  in  the  world  ;  nay, 
Sir,  he  positively  affirms,  you  ought  not  only 
to  give  them  just  so  much  as  will  supply  their 
necessities,  but  that  it  is  your  duty  to  give,  and 
their  right  to  have,  a  plentiful  allowance,  so 
that  they  may  be  freed  from  all  the  perplexing 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  53 

cares  of  this  life  ;  and  may  have  as  much  out 
of  your  estate,  as  to  be  able  to  give  to  others 
also,  that  so  they  may  be  examples  of  charity ; 
for  the  Scriptures  say  they  ought  to  be  men 
given  to  hospitality,  Tit.  i.  8. ;  and  many  of  them 
are  poor,  and  therefore  that  they  should  do  this, 
Godliness  says  is  impossible,  unless  they  are 
capacitated  so  to  do  by  Riches.  Moreover,  this 
Godliness  is  so  unhappy,  and,  in  truth,  hath 
always  been,  that  he  hath  many  great  and 
potent  enemies ;  so  that  they  who  receive 
and  entertain  him  have  been  exposed  to  great 
troubles  and  frequent  persecutions.* 

Riches.  I  must  confess  thou  hast  said  enough 
to  make  me  forever  out  of  love  with  Godliness; 
I  cannot  bear  the  thoughts  of  entertaining  such 
a  guest  as  this  in  my  house  :  but  what  shall  I 
do  with  my  clamorous  steward  Conscience  1  for 

*  This  harangue  comprises  the  very  reasons  why 
thousands  in  middle  life  and  onwards,  reject  religion. 
These  and  many  other  dictates  of  Christianity  are 
hard  sayings  to  the  carnal  mind,  though  to  such  as 
possess  spiritual  discernment  they  form  a  law  which 
they  cannot  but  approve  and  love.  Let  the  pious  see 
that  not  one  of  these  dictates  of  covetousness  be  in 
any  deo-rce  influential  over  their  conduct.  We  should 
examine  ourselves.  The  christian  may  be  beset  by  a 
sin,  long  after  it  is  dethroned  ;  but  sanctification  must 
destroy  v;hat  regeneration  dejects.  Ed. 


54  TRAVELS    OF 

he  every  now  and  then  tells  me  I  must  listen 
to  him,  and  stirs  up  that  Fearful,  a  fellow  that 
I  certainly  hate,  but  cannot  get  rid  of,  to  ter- 
rify me  with  the  thoughts  of  eternal  misery; 
telling  me  that  "  without  holiness,  no  man 
shall  see  the  Lord  ;"  and  that  "  whoever  will 
live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  perse- 
cution." 

Covet.  Why  truly,  Sir,  I  see  no  remedy  but 
you  must  resolve  to  keep  him  under.  1  per- 
ceive he  is  the  chief  cause  of  all  the  distur- 
bance and  trouble  that  are  in  your  house.  But 
for  the  way  this  shall  be  done,  I  must  refer  you 
to  that  worthy  gentleman,  and  understanding 
servant  of  yours,  Dr.  Self-Love ;  for  in  this 
case  I  am  not  qualified  to  give  counsel,  being 
not  brought  up  in  learning;  but  he  and  Sir 
Worldly- Wisdom,  being  both  able  divines,  will 
be  sure  to  find  out  a  ready  way  to  do  it,  so 
that  you  shall  not  be  troubled  with  him  any 
more  ;  and  this  I  will  assure  you,  if  1  can  be 
helpful  to  them  in  the  business,  I  will  be  at 
your  command. 

Dr.  Self-Love  and  Sir  Worldly-Wisdom, 
being  at  hand,  Riches  called  for  them,  to  whom 
he  addressed  himself  after  this  manner  : 

Riches.     Gentlemen,  you  have   both  great 
learning  and  experience   in   the  laws,  divine 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  55 

and  human.  Be  pleased  to  give  me  a  little  of 
your  counsel.  My  case  is  this:  there  is  one, 
who  calls  himself  True  Godliness,  at  my  door, 
and  presses  hard  for  admission  ;  but  by  means 
of  a  description  I  have  lately  had  of  his  man- 
ners and  attendants,  I  perceive  it  will  be  dan- 
gerous at  this  time  for  me  to  receive  him,  or 
to  show  him  kindness.  But  I  have  a  trouble- 
some steward,  of  whom  I  cannot  get  rid,  who 
too  much  favours  him,  and  is  ready  often  to 
open  the  door;  so  that  by  his  means,  and  one 
Fearful,  a  timorous  fellow,  whom  he  stirs  up, 
I  have  of  late  had  but  little  quiet.  Now,  what 
will  you  advise  me  to  do  in  this  sad  condition? 
Dr.  Self-Love.  You  must  not  give  way  to 
Conscience.  Sir,  if  you  follow  his  dictates,  and 
embrace  this  Godliness,  you  will  be  undone, 
and  your  wife  and  children  will  soon  be 
brought  to  a  piece  of  brtad,  notwithstanding 
your  great  estate.  Sir,  your  great  fault  hath 
been  this,  (1  perceive  it  clearly,)  you  have 
read  too  much  of  late  ;  why  should  you  concern 
yourself  with  the  Bible  1  I  think  it  had  been 
well  if  it  had  never  been  translated  into  our 
mother  tongue  ;  this  hath  given  Godliness  op- 
portunity to  disturb  your  mind.  Come,  give 
over  this  in  the  first  place.  The  cause,  you 
know,  of  a  distemper  must  be  first  removed,  or 


56  TRAVELS    OF 

no  radical  cure  can  be  effected ;  it  is  enough 
for  you  to  mind  your  secular  affairs ;  things  of 
religion  belong  to  religious  men ;  and  when 
Conscience  distresses  you  for  any  sin,  divert 
yourself  amongst  your  accustomed  society  of 
good  fellows ;  go  to  the  tavern,  or  to  the  thea- 
tre ;  but  at  no  time  read  any  book  besides  your 
books  of  accompts,  newspapers,  and  romances. 
What  this  traveller  saith,  is  but  mysterious  non- 
sense, enough  to  make  men  mad.  I  do  not  say, 
you  should  not  be  religious  at  all :  no,  God  for- 
bid I  should  give  you  such  counsel ;  but  let  it 
be  liheraheWgxon.  If  we  try  to  do  as  we  would 
be  done  by,  we  shall  fare  well  enough.  There 
is  no  need  to  entertain  strict  Gt;c?/i/zess,  because 
you  may  be  saved  without  it ;  else,  what  will 
become  of  the  greatest  part  of  the  world  !  Go 
to  church  and  hear  prayers,  but  carefully  avoid 
churches  where  preachers  endeavour  to  set  on 
against  you,  that  unruly  steward  Conscience. 
Can  any  man  persuade  me  his  soul  cannot  be 
saved,  unless  he  ''sell  all  that  he  hath,  and  give 
it  to  the  poor,"  and  so  "  become  a  fool,  that  he 
may  be  wise  ?" 

Sir  Worldly-Wisdom.  Mr.  Riches,  the 
counsel  which  my  brother  hath  given  is  very 
good  :  be  sure  you  are  never  led,  by  the  dic- 
tates of  your  fanatical  steward  Conscience^  to 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  57 

expose  yourself  to  any  loss  or  reproach  for  re- 
ligion. You  hear  you  may  be,  nay,  ought  to 
be  religious  :  and  what  is  religion,  but  to  live 
an  honest  and  sober  life  ;  to  fear  God,  honour 
our  rulers,  say  our  prayers,  and  pay  our  debts? 
But  1  have  thought  of  a  way  that  will  answer 
on  all  accounts.  You  have  a  great  estate,  pray 
get  another  member  into  your  family — keep  a 
chaplain;  and  attend  strictly  to  all  the  duties 
of  rational  religion.  This  done,  you  will  find 
all  will  be  well,  and  you  will  hear  no  more  com- 
plaints from  within  or  without ;  for  you  will  be 
taken  by  all  your  servants,  and  others  too,  for 
what  you  really  are,  a  very  godly  man.  I  exhort 
you,  neither  to  believe  nor  regard  what  those 
babblers  say,  who  talk  of  things  that  lie  above 
all  human  reason,  as  Mr.  Self-Love  noted.  Can 
three  be  one,  or  one  be  three?  or,  can  a  man 
be  that  God  who  made  the  world  ?  or,  can  his 
righteousness  be  yours?  or,  can  God  give  men 
a  religion  to  guide  them,  and  yet  have  myste- 
ries in  it  ?  No,  no,  your  own  deeds  must  justi- 
fy you :  this  Godliness  is  foolish ;  regard  him 
not. 

Riches,  having  thanked  them  for  their  good 
counsel,  with  a  great  deal  of  joy  retires  very 
well  satisfied  with  the  advice  that   his  neigh- 


58  TRAVELS    OP 

bours,   Doctor   Self-Love   and    Sir    Worldly- 
Wisdojn  had  given  him.* 

Riches  now  procured  a  chaplain,  and  instead 
of  opening  to  True  Godliness,  whom  he  was 
thus  made  to  suspect  and  discard,  he  introduc- 
ed Connferfeit  Godliness ,  which  was  occasion- 
ed through  his  Ignorance,  and  the  foolish  coun- 
sel he  had  received.  Now,  this  man,  as  it  ap- 
pears, proved  a  sad  fellow  ;  for  though  he  was 
a  good  scholar,  being  brought  up  in  a  universi- 
ty, yet  his  religion  consisted  merely  in  strict 
forms  and  outward  show.  There  was  indeed 
not  one  in  all  his  family  that  hated  Trite  God' 
liness  more  than  he  :  for  he  made  songs  of  him, 
and  scoffed,  jeered,  and  derided  him  continu- 
ally, calling  him  a  mysterious  and  nonsensical 
fellow,  talking  of  things  above  all  human  reas- 
on, and  above  all  belief.  He  also  stirred  up 
all  the  neighbourhood  to  find  fault  and  quarrel 
with  those  who  were  friends  of  True  Godliness, 

*How  important  is  it  that  such  as  are  awakened  to 
see  their  sin  and  d,inger  should  not  take  counsel  with 
flesh  and  blood.  Alas  !  not  a  few  are  thus  ruined  for- 
ever. Let  those  who  feel  the  remonstrances  of  con- 
science, go  to  some  man  of  God,  or  holy  matron,  and 
ask  advice.  This  may  be  the  Master's  last  call;  if  it 
be  refused,  we  may  "  suddenly  be  destroyed,  and  that 
without  remedy."  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  59 

while  he  affirmed  that  he  himself  was  properly 
entitled  to  that  name.  Poor  Conscience  him- 
self was  in  some  measure  deceived  and  appeas- 
ed. He  saw  so  much  appearance  of  piety  in 
the  order  of  family  worship,  and  going  to  meet- 
ing, and  reading  the  prayer  book,  that  he 
seemed  to  think  his  hopes  of  his  master's  refor- 
mation were  now  realized. 

Godliness  now  perceived  he  was  like  to  have 
but  cool  entertainment  at  this  house ;  so  hav- 
ing waited  at  Riches^  gate  till  his  patience  was 
almost  exhausted,  he  began  to  think  of  a  re- 
moval, and  to  travel  to  some  other  place  :  but 
before  he  took  his  final  farewell,  he  was  re- 
solved to  speak  his  mind  freely  to  him,  thereby 
to  leave  him  without  excuse  ;  and  therefore  ad- 
dressed him  after  this  manner  : 

Godli.  Well,  Riches,  I  see  now  very  clearly 
you  did  but  flatter  me  when  you  began  to 
hearken  to  your  poor  steward  Conscience,  rel- 
ative to  my  reception  into  your  house  ;  for  it 
is  very  plain,  you  are  grown  far  worse  than  be- 
fore, and  have  blinded  his  eyes,  by  entertain- 
ing another,  who  calls  himself  by  my  name. 
But  before  1  depart,  I  will  show  you  the  great 
danger  you  are  in,  and  the  cause  of  it.  The 
truth  is,  you  have  such  a  company  of  loose, 
base  and  deceitful  servants,  that  they   will  ut- 


60  TRAVELS    OF 

terly  undo  you,  and  bring  upon  you  the  eternal 
ruin  of  your  poor  soul,  which  I  designed,  by 
my  coming  to  you,  to  save,  and  make  happy 
forever.  There  was  never  any  who  entertain- 
ed those  graceless  enemies  of  God,  but  were 
ruined  by  them  at  last ;  nay,  and  not  only  eter- 
nally in  the  world  to  come,  but  many  times 
outwardly  in  this  world  ;  therefore  I  advise  and 
entreat  you  to  get  rid  of  them,  and  promise  I 
will  help  you  to  far  better  servants  in  their  stead. 
Can  you  think  it  safe  for  you  to  keep  Pre- 
sumption in  your  house,  since  there  is  scarcely 
a  more  deceitful  and  dangerous  wretch  in  the 
world  ?  How  many  thousands  of  poor  souls 
has  he  destroyed  by  causing  them  to  presume 
on  the  mercy  of  God,  and  the  death  o'i  Christ, 
and  yet  live  in  sin, pride,  and  covctousncss,  and 
in  a  vile  manner  hating  and  contemning  me  ? 
Doth  not  God  say,  *'  It  is  hard  for  a  rich  man 
to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;"  and 
yet  you  are  persuaded  by  him  to  think  it  is 
an  easy  thing.  And  doth  not  the  Scripture 
say,  "  Except  your  righteousness  exceed  the 
righteousness  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
ye  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  God?"  Matt.  V.  20;  and  yet  he  tells 
you,  that  by  doing  a  few  good  deeds,  or  by 
giving  a  little  of  your  abundance  to  the  poor, 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  61 

your  state  is  safe,  whereas,  many  of  the 
Pharisees,  as  to  acts  of  charity,  exceedingly 
outdid  you  :  nay,  doth  not  St.  Paul  say, 
"  Though  he  gave  all  his  goods  to  the  poor, 
and  his  body  to  be  burned,  yet  without  charity 
(that  is  to  say,  true  love  to  God  and  Godliness) 
he  was  nothing  ?"  1  Cor.  xiii.  3 ;  and  yet  you, 
though  you  slight  and  condemn  Godliness,  are 
taught  to  presume  on  God's  mercy,  who  hath 
notwithstanding  positively  said  concerning  you 
and  such  as  you  are,  "  He  that  made  them, 
will  not  save  them  ;  and  he  that  formed  them, 
will  shew  them  no  favor."     Isaiah  xxvii.  11. 

As  to  what  Self-love  saith,  it  is  abominable. 
Do  you  not  find  the  Lord  Jesus  say,  that  "  Un- 
less a  man  deny  himself,  he  cannot  be  my  dis- 
ciple ?"  Matt.  xvi.  24.  Now,  this  fellow  is 
one  of  the  rest  there  meant,  even  Self-love  and 
Self-righteousness ,  as  well  as  Sinful-self  and 
Natural-self  Sir,  you  must  get  rid  of  them 
all,  or  perish  forever. 

And  then  as  to  Worldly-Wisdom,  he  is 
Satan's  Attorney-general,  that  ever  gives  coun- 
sel to  all  that  hearken  to  him  against  God  and 
Christ,  and  all  revealed  religion.  He  deceives 
and  ruins  the  souls  of  men,  ridicules  all  su- 
pernatural discoveries  of  God,  or  revealed  re- 
ligion, and  would  indeed   paganize  this  land 


63  TRAVELS    OF 

again.  Dolh  not  Paul  say,  "  The  world  by 
wisdom  knew  not  God  r"  He  would  have  you 
believe  nothing  to  be  a  truth  or  principle  of  re- 
ligion, that  lies  above  your  own  reason  ;  and 
therefore  he  says  that  there  is  nothing  myste- 
rious in  Christianity;  by  which  he  gives  the 
Scripture  the  lie,  that  says,  "Without  contro- 
versy, great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness." 
1  Tim.  iii.  16. 

He  will  not  suffer  those  that  hearken  to  him 
to  believe  the  Trinity  of  persons  in  the  sacred 
Godhead,  nor  that  Christ  is  the  most  high  God, 
and  yet  truly  Man  in  one  person,  because  it 
lies  above  man's  wisdom  or  understanding  to 
comprehend  it ;  nor  that  sinners  can  be  justi- 
fied by  the  active  and  passive  obedience  of 
Christ,  though  it  is  positively  asserted  to  be 
thus  by  the  Spirit  of  God  in  his  word. 

This  Wurldly-  Wisdom  and  Sir  Human- 
Reason  taught  the  Greeks  (in  the  apostles' 
time)  to  contemn  the  preaching  of  Christ 
crucified,  and  salvation  by  him,  as  a  foolish  no- 
tion or  idle  dream,  and  so  they  stiive  to  per- 
suade people  to  think  now,  and  thus  to  tram- 
ple the  chief  principles  of  the  Christian  faith 
under  their  feet. 

Is  it  not  evident  that  there  are  many  earth- 
ly things,  or  things  in  nature,  which  no  man 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  63 

can  comprehend,  nor  give  a  reason  for  ;  and 
is  it  surprising  then,  that  the  mysteries  of  the 
gospel,  or  the  deep  things  of  God,  are  above 
human  reason  to  conceive,  so  as  fully  to  com- 
prehend them  ? 

Yet,  though  these  mysteries  are  above  hu- 
man reason,  it  is  not  against  reason  to  believe 
them.  Is  it  not  reasonable  that  men  believe 
what  the  God  of  Truth  affirms  ?  These  scorn- 
ers  would  not  have  you  "sell  all  you  have,  and 
give  it  to  the  poor  ;"  yet  you  know  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  gave  that  counsel  to  a  rich  man; 
and  if  you  do  not  part  with  all  in  your  love  and 
affection,  and  actually  when  God  calls  for  it, 
you  can  be  no  true  Christian,  because  you  do 
not  love  God  with  all  your  heart,  nor  above 
your  gold  and  silver,  or  earthly  riches. 

Moreover,  if  you  will  not  choose  to  become  a 
fool  in  the  esteem  of  carnal  men,  you  can  nev- 
er be  truly  wise.  See  1  Cor.  iii.  18,  "  If  any 
man  among  you  seemeth  to  be  wise  in  this 
world,  let  him  become  a  fool  that  he  may  be 
wise."  Let  worldly  wise  men  account  you  a 
fool ;  if  you  are  spiritually  wise,  wise  unto  sal- 
vation, it  matters  not  how  you  are  called  and 
censured  by  such  whom  Satan  has  blinded. 
Doth  not  the  apostle  say,  **  That  the  world  by 
wisdom  knew  not  God  ?" 


64  TRAVELS    OF 

Your  servant  Unbelief  is  a  wicked,  devour- 
ing monster,  that  hath  sent  millions  to  hell,  by 
hindering  them  from  believing  what  God  hath 
said  in  his  word.  He  will  not  suffer  you  to  be- 
lieve nor  give  credit  to  that  word,  *'  If  any  man 
love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not 
in  him,"  1  John  ii.  15  ;  nor  to  that  word,  "  Ex* 
cept  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God,"  John  iii.  3 ;  and  "  he  that  be- 
lieveth  not  shall  be  damned,"  Mark  xvi.  16; 
and  many  like  awakening  sentences.  And 
thus  he  teaches  you  to  make  God  a  liar  ;  for  he 
hath  said.  You  shall,  without  tfue  faith, perish 
in  your  sins  :  but  Unbelief  says.  Ye  shall  be 
saved,  though  ye  live  in  your  sins. 

As  to  what  Ignorance  says,  That  you  may 
purchase  or  merit  peace  of  conscience  by  giv- 
ing more  liberally  to  the  poor  ;  and  that  you 
may  also  make  you  friends  of  the  mammon  of 
unrighteousness ;  he  would  make  you  think, 
that  God  and  Jesus  Christ  will  in  that  way 
become  your  friends,  and  save  your  soul  when 
you  die. 

Sir,  If  you  gave  all  your  goods  to  feed  the 
poor,  (which  you  are  far  from  doing,)  yet  you 
would  be  miserable  ;  nothing  that  you  can  do 
can  change  your  state,  or  procure  God's  ac- 
ceptance of  your  person  ;  no,  you  must  obtain 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  65 

union  with  Christ,  and  receive  me,  or  perish 
in  your  sins  forever. 

If  money  could  purchase  peace  of  conscience, 
or  giving  liberally  to  the  poor  merit  heaven, 
what  rich  man  need  to  fear  being  damned  ? 
And  then  also  it  might  be  very  easy  *'  for  a 
rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven/ 
which  the  Lord  Christ  says  is  not  an  easy  thing. 
Sir,  while  the  world  is  in  your  heart,  in  your 
love  and  affection,  ''the  love  of  the  Father  is 
not  in  you,"  though  you  give  much  to  the  poor. 
As  the  young  man,  who  was  very  rich,  wanted 
one  thing,  so  do  you  ;  that  is,  true  faith  and  an 
interest  in  Christ.  **  You  must  be  born  again, 
or  you  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heav- 
en ;"  and  that  you  can  never  be,  until  you  re- 
ceive the  Holy  Spirit,  and  let  in  True  Godli- 
ness. Whosoever  receives  me,  receives  the 
Spirit  and  true  and  right  principles ;  such  as 
these,  that  "  all  your  own  righteousness  is  as 
fihhy  rags  ;"  and  that  all  works  before  grace, 
are  dead  works,  and  profit  men  nothing.  More- 
over, That  Christ's  righteousness,  exclusive  of 
all  inherent  righteousness,  alone  justifies  a  be- 
lieving sinner. 

As  concerning  Pride,  whom  you  entertain, 
as  a  sweet  and  beloved  friend,  he  hath   been 
the  ruin  of  many  souls  ;    nay,  and   not  only 
F 


66  TRAVELS    OF 

men,  but  angels  also  ;  for  it  is  thought  he  wa® 
the    principal    one   who    wrought   their    de- 
struction, and  from  heaven  cast  them  down  to 
hell,  and  of  angels  of  light,  made  them  devils. 
But,  sir,  remember   that   word,   "Pride   goes 
before  destruction,  and  a  haughty  spirit  before 
a  fall."     What  became  of  the  great  king  of 
Babylon,    Nebuchadnezzar,    for   entertaining 
this  fellow?     Was   it  not  PnV/e  that  brought 
him  down,  and  turned   him  a  grazing,  to  eat 
grass  like  oxen  ?  Dan.  iv.  33.    Moreover,  what 
became  of  Herod  the   Great,  who  was  fond  of 
This   companion?     Did    he   not   bring   God's 
Sieavy  wrath  upon  him  in  such  a  fearful   man- 
ner, that  a  blessed   angel   was  sent  to  smite 
him   with   death    immediately,   and   he    was 
eaten  of  worms  ?   Acts  xii.  23.    Have  you  not 
read,  that  "  the  day  cometh  which  shall  burn 
as  an  oven,  and  all  the  proud,  and  all  that  do 
wickedly,  shall   be  as  stubble  ?"     Hos.  iv.  L 
This  haughty   Pride  is    one  of  those   seven 
things,  as  Solomon  shows,  which  God  hates, 
Prov.  vi.  16.     H  you   will  not,  O  Riches,  be 
persuaded  from   all  I  have  said,  to  turn  him 
out  of  your  house,  even  take  what  will  follow. 
Vain-Hope,  I  know,  is  one  that  hath  kept 
up  your  spirits,  and  spoken  peace  to  you   all 
along  ;  but  he  will  leave  you  like  a  false-heart- 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  hi 

ed  and  treacherous  friend,  when  you  come 
into  distress.  You  hope  to  be  saved,  (and  so 
did  many  thousands  that  are  now  in  outer 
darkness;)  but  alas  !  v.'hat  ground  have  you 
to  build  your  hope  upon  ?  *'  The  hypocrite's 
hope  shall  perish  ;  whose  hope  shall  be  cut  off, 
and  whose  trust  shall  be  as  a  spider's  web," 
Job  xviii.  13,  14.  i  Ah!  sir,  what  will  your 
hope  avail  you,  though  you  have  gained  the 
world,  when  God  taketh  away  your  soul  ?  Job 
xxvii.  8. 

And  lastly,  as  to  your  chosen  friend  Covet- 
ousness,  he  is  made  up  of  idolatry  ;  and  what 
can  be  more  detestable  to  the  Lord  ?  He  is  in- 
deed the  ringleader  to  almost  all  manner  of 
wickedness;  nay,  there  is  scarcely  a  viler  and 
more  abominable  wretch  breathing  on  earth, 
therefore,  justly  called,  '-  the  root  of  all  evil," 
1  Tim.  vi.  10.  He  hath  taught  many  to  play 
the  thief,  some  to  commit  treason,  and  others 
to  murder  innocents  for  their  inheritance  ;  he 
is  guilty  of  bribery,  usury,  extortion  and  op- 
pression :  it  was  he  that  made  poor  Achan  lose 
his  life  ;  he  also  contrived  the  death  of  Naboth 
and  his  sons  ;  and,  more  than  all,  he  tempted 
Judas  to  sell,  and  basely  to  betray  my  dear 
Lord  and  Master  Jesus  Christ,  for  thirty  pieces 
*>f  silver.       Do  not  blame  me,  therefore,  if  I 


b»  TRAVELS    OF 

bear  so  hard  against  him,  especially,  as  I  can 
seldom  get  one  foot  into  any  rich  man's  house 
through  his  means.  It  is  he  and  his  compan- 
ions who  keep  me  out.  He  hath,  through  his 
hard  heartedness,  almost  famished  all  the  poor, 
both  in  city  and  country ;  and  hath  also  of  late 
very  near  betrayed  my  whole  interest  that  I 
have  in  the  world,  into  the  enemy's  hands  :  he 
hath  also  grievously  corrupted  many  who  pro- 
fess kindness  to  me,  by  encumbering  their 
minds  with  the  affairs  of  this  life.  When  they 
should  be  hearing  God's  word,  he  forces  them 
to  abide  in  their  shops ;  nor  will  he  suffer  many 
of  them  to  take  a  little  time  to  pray  in  their 
families,  nor  in  their  closets.  He  has  also  ex- 
posed many  of  my  poor  ministers  to  many 
great  straits  and  necessities,  by  which  means 
their  heads  have  been  so  filled  with  the  cares 
of  this  life,  that  they  have  been  incapacitated 
to  preach  the  gospel  as  they  ought  to  preach  it ; 
nor  can  they  get  such  helps  as  are  necessary, 
and  all  because  of  him.  Nay,  he  hath  almost 
undone  every  nation,  by  corrupting  the  law, 
and  subverting  justice,  causing  judges  to  judge 
for  reward,  and  lawyers  to  plead  more  for  fees 
than  for  equity ;  and  hath  spoiled  commerce, 
for  he  hath  monopolized  trades  and  commodi- 
ties, so  that  many  men  have  been  undone  by 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  0\f 

him.  Sir,  I  cannot  reckon  up  all  his  horrible 
crimes  ;  and  is  this  he  you  so  dearly  love  ?  And 
must  1  be  slighted  and  disregarded  by  you 
through  the  love  you  bear  to  him?  Alas  !  Sir, 
he  will  bring  your  soul,  if  you  follow  him,  to 
destruction.  Pray,  what  became  of  Ananias 
and  Sapphira,  whom  he  forced  to  tell  a  lie  to 
the  Holy  Ghost?  Acts  v.  1—4./  Who  was  it 
that  caused  the  young  man  in  the  gospel  to  fall 
short  of  heaven,  and  to  go  away  from  Jesus 
Christ  very  sorrowful ;  and  Demas  to  turn  apos- 
tate, and  embrace  this  evil  world  ?  Was  it  not 
Covetousness  ?'  Ah  !  Sir,  take  heed  of  this  mis- 
creant ;  for  though  some  wicked  ones  of  the 
earth  may  bless  you,  yet  he  will  cause  God  to 
hate  you.  See  what  David  saith,  '*  The  wick- 
ed boastelh  of  his  heart's  desire,  and  blesseth 
the  covetous,  whom  the  Lord  abhorreth."  Psl. 
X.  3.  Consider  these  things,  and  be  persuaded 
to  put  away  all  these  deceitful  companions, 
which  you  have  so  long  nourished  in  your 
house.  Oh  !  that  you  would  now  at  last,  be- 
fore I  leave  you,  hearken  to  my  counsel,  and 
receive  me  into  your  house,  and  renounce  that 
monster  you  have  lately  embraced,  who  calls 
himself  by  my  name  !  W^hat  do  you  say.  Riches  ? 
Riches.  Do  you  think  I  shall  entertain  you^ 
and  by  so  doing  not  only  lose  all  my  great  honor 


70  TRAVELS    OF 

and  credit  amongst  men,  but  be  impoverished 
by  your  continual  requisitions  for  what  you 
call  charitable  uses  ? 

Godli.  Is  not  that  honour  that  comes  from 
God  better  than  all  the  vain  honour  poor  mor- 
tals can  give  you  ?  You  have,  besides,  a  no- 
ble example  to  follow  in  this  case  :  remember 
Moses;  he  was  not  of  your  mind.  Some  rich 
and  noble  men  have,  for  my  sake,  denied  them- 
selves all  the  glory  of  this  world,  and  account- 
ed the  reproaches  of  Christ  greater  riches  than 
all  earthly  honours  and  sinful  pleasures  which 
are  but  for  a  season. 

Riches.  If  others  were  such  fools  as  thus  to 
disgrace  themselves,  what  is  that  to  me  ? 

Godli.  Sir,  I  perceive  your  condition  is 
miserable,  for  you  seem  to  be  hardened  ;  and 
whilst  you  have  had  gracious  means  afforded 
you,  to  bring  you  to  repentance,  you  are  grown 
worse  and  worse :  however,  let  me  tell  you,  if 
you  die  before  you  have  embraced  and  receiv- 
ed me  into  your  house,  you  will  perish  in  your 
sins,  and  hell  will  be  your  portion  forever. 
Those  Vvho  reject  me,  reject  God  and  Jesus 
Christ  also  ;  and  to  tell  you  the  truth,  all  this 
dme  I  have  been  at  your  door,  the  Lord  Jesus 
bath  stood  waiting  likewise. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  71 

Riches.  Leave  your  canting.  Do  you  be- 
gin to  threaten  me  ?  am  I  not  my  own  master  1 
would  you  lord  it  over  me  ?  I  perceive  what 
you  aim  at;  you  would  have  me  entertain  you, 
that  so  your  poor  despised  offspring  may  take 
advantage  of  me.  I  could  find  in  my  heart  to 
be  revenged  on  you,  and  set  all  the  rabble  of 
the  town  upon  you.  Sirrah !  I  have  consider- 
ed the  business,  and  have  had  advice  what  to 
do  from  two  able  counsellors,  Dr.  SeJf-Love 
and  Sir  Worldly- Wisdom. 

Godli.  Sir,  St.  Paul  did  not  take  advice  of 
those  depraved,  degraded  counsellors;  for  he 
tells  us,  **  he  consulted  not  with  flesh  and 
blood." 

Riches.  When  will  you  leave  off  your  prat- 
ing ?  You  are  called  Godliness,  but  that  is 
not  your  name :  you  are,  I  understand,  a  fac- 
tious fellow,  and  your  name  is  Stubbornness, 
alias,  Singtdarity ;  one  may  know  what  you  are 
by  the  many  names  you  go  by.  Know  you, 
therefore,  friend,  that  1  have  received  the 
True  Godliness  already,  and  him  will  I  keep. 
He  is  indeed  an  honourable  person,  one  whom 
great  men  love,  and  is  in  favour  with  the  prin- 
ces of  the  earth  :  but  as  for  you,  1  see  no  en- 
couragement for  any  one  to  respect  you ;  for 
as  most  people  in  all  nations  speak  against  you 


72  TRAVELS    OF 

and  hate  you,  so  you  would,  I  know,  soon  spoil 
all  my  joys,  and  bring  nothing  but  sorrow  and 
fear  along  with  you,  I  can  not  so  much  as 
make  a  false  statement  for  my  advantage,  but 
you  would  threaten  me  with  eternal  ruin ;  nor 
go  to  a  tavern,  and  by  chance  take  a  glass  too 
much,  and  let  now  and  then  an  oath  slip,  but 
you  would  stir  up  my  steward  Conscience^  to 
censure  me  unmercifully  ;  but  I  shall  teach 
him  his  place.  Beside,  if  I  should  not  give  to 
the  poor  according  to  your  humour,  I  should 
be  censured  and  condemned  by  you  as  a  wick- 
ed person  ;  yea,  and  most  of  my  habitual  de- 
sires you  would  call  hurtful  lusts,  and  say  they 
must  be  mortified,  and  that  my  greatest  favour- 
ite must  not  be  spared.  I  perceive  what  a  fool 
you  would  make  me ;  be  gone  from  my  door, 
or  I  will  call  one  of  my  servants,  who  shall 
drive  you  out  of  the  town.* 

*  See  how  the  heart,  v/hich,  softened  by  sickness,, 
seems  half  disposed  to  cherish  pious  feeling,  but  does 
not  resolutely  and  at  all  hazards  proceed  to  an  entire 
surrender  of  the  soul  to  God,  grows  gradually  remiss, 
then  listens  readily  to  the  dictates  of  carnal  passion.s, 
then  adopts  a  convenient  xeYigion,  and  finally  becomes 
malicious  towards  True  Godliness,  and  commence:; 
persecutor. /Thus  "  the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worss 

£d. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  73 

His  anger  now  rose  excessively,  and  he  be- 
gan violently  to  thrust  Godliness  from  the  door, 
which  no  sooner  did  his  chaplain,  Mr.  Reader, 
perceive,  but  he  came  to  his  assistance,  with 
cruel  rage,  being  excited  by  Envy,  and  ac- 
cused Godliness  in  a  most  wrathful  and  intem- 
perate manner,  calling  him  all  the  vilest  names 
he  could  devise,  enough  to  make  any  ignorant 
and  unthinking  man  conclude  True  Godliness 
was  a  hateful  companion,  and  before  all  things 
to  be  avoided  and  discountenanced.  Mr.  Read- 
er also  warmly  challenged  Godliness  to  dispute 
with  him,  and  boisterously  urged  that  text, 
*•  Be  not  righteous  over  much,  neither  make 
thyself  over  wise;  why  shouldest  thou  destroy 
thyself?"  Eccl.  vii.  16.  He  thought  with  this 
one  weapon  to  have  knocked  Godliness  down, 
and  to  have  foiled  him  completely. 

But  he  soon  answered  that  no  man  could  be 
truly  righteous  over  much,  nor  have  too  much 
of  that  pure  wisdom  that  is  from  above ;  but 
that  a  man  might,  under  pretence  of  righteous- 
ness, do  more  than  God  required  of  him,  and 
so  be  righteous  over  much,  (as  the  papists  and 
others  are,)  and  thereby  destroy  himself,  since 
will-worship  (or  deeds  performed  as  religious 
service,  which  were  not  commanded  in  Scrip- 
G 


74      TRAVELS  OF  TRUE  GODLINESS. 

ture,)  was  abominable  to  God  ;  and  that  a  man 
also  might  be  over  wise  in  his  own  conceit. 

This  reasonable  and  scriptural  answer  end- 
ed the  dispute.  Riches  perceiving  his  chap- 
lain to  be  worsted,  disliked  True  Godliness  the 
more,  and  raised  all  the  rabble  of  the  town 
upon  him ;  among  which  were  Pride,  Igno- 
rance^  Wilfid,  Hate  Good,  Outside,  Riot, 
Wasteful,  Hard  Heart,  Giddy -Head,  Pich- 
ThanJc,  Rob-Saint,  and  other  ill-bred  fellows. 
Moreover  he  affirmed,  if  he  were  not  gone  soon, 
he  would  send  for  the  constables.  Oppression 
and  Cruelty,  to  put  him  where  he  should  be 
safe.  Upon  which,  Godliness  was  forced  to  get 
away  and  hide  himself,  or  else  he  had  been 
cruelly  beaten,  or  basely  put  to  death  :  but 
he,  being  out  of  their  reach,  by  the  providence 
of  God  escaped  without  injury.* 

Godliness  being  thus  forced  to  leave  Riches' 
door.  Vice  and  Ungodliness  took  the  full  pos- 
session of  his  house,  and  Godliness  went  on 
his  way,  grieved  to  see  how  he  had  hitherto 
been  slighted  and  abused. 

/*  Persecution  may  drive  religion  to  temporary  ob- 
scurity, but  true  religion  cannot  be  bound  by  oppres- 
sion and  cruelty,  much  less  destroyed  by  the  hosts  of 
evil  men.  It  has  always  "  escaped  without  injury"  and 
presented  itself  again  elsewhere  in  all  its  integrity, 
beauty  and  benevolence.    /  Ed. 


CHAPTER  V. 

€rodUness,  in  his  Travels,  came  to  a  Cottage^ 
where  dwelt  Poverty,  ivith  whom  he  earnestly  de- 
sired to  make  his  Abode,  hut  ivas  denied. 

Godliness,  finding  how  basely  he  had  been 
rejected  by  Riches,  and  that  he  could  not,  with 
the  strongest  arguments  and  motives  imagina- 
ble, get  entertainment  with  him,  travelled  farth- 
er ;  and  at  last  chanced  to  come  to  a  small 
village,  at  the  farthest  end  of  which,  near  the 
common,  he  espied  a  little  cottage.  It  was  a 
poor  old  ruinous  building,  propped  up,  as  if  it 
was  ready  to  fall.  Into  the  broken  windows 
were  stuffed  some  old  clothes  to  keep  out  the 
cold.  Weeds  filled  the  little  yard  before  the 
door,  the  decayed  fence  no  longer  serving  to 
protect  the  enclosure.  The  whole  aspect  was 
that  of  improvidence  and  vice,  and  seemed  to 
present  but  an  unwelcome  lodging  to  the  noble 
traveller.  But,  however,  remembering  what 
his  blessed  Lord  and  Master  said,  "  the  poor 
receive  the  gospel,"  Godliness  resolved  to  go 
thither,  for  he  "is  no   respecter  of  persons." 


76  TRAVELS    OF 

He  is  as  willing  to  be  a  guest  to  the  poor  as 
to  the  rich,  and  to  dwell  with  the  peasant  as 
with  the  prince,  or  to  make  his  abode  in  a  cot- 
tage as  in  a  palace.  Being  come  up  to  the 
door,  he  understood  the  man's  name  who  dwelt 
there  was  Poverty.  Now  Godliness  knocked 
five  or  six  times  before  he  had  any  answer  :  but 
at  last,  being  between  sleeping  and  waking-, 
Poverty  asked,  (though  very  faintly,)  Who  is 
there  1     Who  is  at  the  door  ? 

Godli.  A  friend ;  my  name  is  True  Godli" 
ness. 

Prov.  Ah  !  1  have  heard  of  your  name,  yet 
know  you  not :  and  moreover,  I  was  forbid 
formerly  to  entertain  one  who  goes  by  your 
name ;  and  it  may  be  you  as  far  as  I  know.  I 
have  heard  that  many  thousands,  through  your 
means,  have  lost  their  lives  as  well  as  their  es- 
tates. And  though  I  have  not  much  to  lose, 
yet  my  life  is  as  dear  to  me  as  any  man's. 

Godli.  I  will  do  thee  no  wrong,  my  friend, 
but  contrary-wise  ;  if  you  open  the  door  and 
kindly  entertain  me,  you  shall  find  me  the  best 
friend  that  ever  you  met  with. 

Prov.  You  speak  well ;  but  what  is  it  you 
will  do  for  me  ?  Have  you  any  money  to  im- 
part, to  procure  food  for  my  family,  or  cloth- 
ing for  my  almost  naked  children  ? 


fm-rrty    itsked,      'Who   7,s    f^here:''' i  Frtcrui ; 

my  ncuiie    is    Triu;  O'o(lit.n^.^s. 


-BoSTOif.  X3ncox:n&bd:m:ai<x>s. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  77 

Godli.  I  cannot  at  present  assure  thee  of 
worldly  good  things.  I  do  not  proffer  men 
money,  or  hire  them  to  open  their  doors  to  me. 
If  I  am  not  freely  and  heartily  received,  I  will 
not  enter  at  all.  Friend,  I  do  not  trade  in  gold 
and  silver  ;  but  this  I  will  promise,  upon  the 
word  of  Christ  himself,  that  if  thou  wilt  kindly 
let  me  in,  whatsoever  good  thing  the  Lord  sees 
thou  dost  need,  thou  shalt  have  it.  "Seek 
first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness, 
and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you." 
Matt.  vi.  33.  You  complain  of  want ;  come, 
open  to  me  :  remember  that  word,  "  They  that 
fear  the  Lord  shall  not  want  any  good  thing?" 
Psl.  xxxiv.  10.  ''  The  Lord  will  give  grace  and 
glory,  and  no  good  thing  will  he  withhold  from 
them  that  walk  uprightly."  Psl.  Ixxxiv.  IL 
What  dost  thou  say,  Poverty  1 

Pov.  I  am  in  a  very  low  condition  :  what 
you  mean  I  cannot  tell ;  but  this  I  know,  my 
head  and  heart  are  filled  about  other  things. 
Alas  !  what  can  you  think  to  meet  with,  or 
expect  from  me  ?  Do  you  not  see  what  a  num- 
ber of  poor,  hungry,  ragged  children  I  have? 
It  is  enough  for  me  to  get  bread  for  them  :  I 
must  leave  the  things  of  which  you  speak  to 
my  superiors ;  I  mean   such   who   have  more 


78  TRAVELS    OP 

time  to  mind  them,  and  are  better  learned.  I 
cannot  tell  what  to  say  to  you. 

Truly,  we  poor  folks  in  the  country  think  it 
is  godliness  enough  for  us  to  bear  an  honest 
mind,  and  pay  truly  for  what  we  have,  and  go 
to  church  now  and  then,  to  hear  some  good 
prayers,  and  to  say  the  Creed,  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments, and  the  Lord's  Prayer,  sometimes 
at  home,  when  we  come  from  work,  if  we  don't 
chance  to  fall  asleep  first ;  but  if  I  thought  it 
would  be  for  my  profit,  I  would  open  to  you 
immediately. 

Godli.  I  will  assure  thee,  Poverty ^  it  will  be 
infinitely  for  thy  advantage  ;  hast  thou  not 
read — 

Pov.  I  can't  read.  Sir. 

Godli.  Well,  have  you  not  heard  then,  that 
"  Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things,  having 
the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that 
which  is  to  come,"  1  Tim.  iv.  8— and  that 
"Godliness  with  contentment  is  great  gain  r" 
Now,  because  I  see  you  are  weak,  I  will  tell 
you  of  some  of  those  great  blessings  you  will 
gain,  if  you  receive  me  in  truth.  Wheresoever 
I  come  I  bring  reconciliation  with  God,  pardon 
of  sin,  peace  of  conscience,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  I  teach  men  to  be  diligent  and  frugal, 
and  so  help   them  to   a  decent  competency ; 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  79 

nay,  I  raise  men  to  honour  too.  I  will  make 
thee  a  son  of  God,  an  heir  of  heaven,  and  at 
last  set  a  crown  of  endless  glory  on  thy  head. 
What  dost  thou  say.  Poverty  ? 

Pov.  I  had  rather  have  better  clothes,  and 
good  provisions,  and  a  better  habitation ;  these 
things  suit  my  present  necessity  ;  but  as  touch- 
ing those  things  you  talk  of,  I  do  not  well  un- 
derstand what  they  are.  Besides,  what  work 
will  you  set  me  about  ?  I  cannot  endure  hard 
labour. 

Godli.  But  stay.  Poverty^  what  kind  of  fel- 
lows are  those  you  have  in  your  house  ? 

Pov.  What  is  that  to  you  ?  why  do  you  not 
answer  my  questions  ? 

Godli.  Why  then  I  will  tell  you  ;  repent  of 
every  sin  ;  believe  in  Christ;  take  time  for  sol- 
emn meditation  ;  fervently  read  the  Holy  Bi- 
ble ;  and  every  Lord's-day,  with  great  reve- 
rence and  seriousness,  hear  God's  blessed  word, 
and  pray  at  least  twice  a  day ;  and  with  a  sacred 
reference  to  the  importance  of  time,  and  claims 
of  relations,  be  more  laborious  in  your  trade 
and  worldly  business.  This,  however,  can- 
not be  done,  unless  you  put  away  that  horde 
of  loose  fellows  which  I  perceive  infests  your 
house. 


80  TRAVELS    OF  ' 

Poverty  had,  it  seems,  divers  base  and  lazjr 
companions,  who  were  all  grand  enemies  to 
True  Godliness ;  their  names  were  Unbelief , 
Ignorance^  Idleness,  Wasteful,  and  Fear^Man^ 
together  with  some  others.  His  own  children, 
viz.  Light-Fingers,  Faint'Hcart,  and  Carp-^ 
ing'Care,  were  no  better.  Now,  when  he 
felt  disposed  to  open  to  Godliness,  these  hin- 
dered him.* 

/  First,  Sloth  and  Idleness  would  not  let  him 
^  rise  to  call  upon  God,  nor  take  pains  to  pull  up 
the  briars  and  thorns  that  grew  in  his  heart ; 
by  which  means  his  field  lay  barren  and  un- 
tilled,  nothing  growing  therein,  but  what  the 
ground  brought  forth  naturally./' Nay,  these 
made  him  of  such  a  sluggish  temper,  and  such 
a  lover  of  rest,  that  he  complained  sometimes 
because  he  could  not  go  without  motion  ;  nay, 
he  was  unwilling  to  be  at  the  trouble  of  feed- 
ing himself;  therefore  would  wish  that  men 
might  live  as  trees  and  plants  do.  I  remem- 
ber a  very  wise  man  told  me,  "  That  he  hides 
his  hand  in  his  bosom,  and  it  grieveth  him  to 
bring  it  again  to  his  mouth,"  Prov.  xxvi.  15,  by 

*  Let  the  poor  who  read  this  chapter  solemnly  con- 
sider and  specially  pray  against  their  pecuhar  sins  and 
temptations,  which  though  in  many  respects  dissimilar 
to  those  of  the  rich  man,  are  not  at  all  less  dangerous. 

Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS. 


81 


the  sad   influence  of  these   two   lazy  fellows, 
Sloth  and  Idleness. 

Unbelief  told  him  that  the  things  of  which 
Godliness  talked  were  mere  fictions ;  unseen 
things,  in  which  there  was  no  reality.  But 
when  Poverty  questioned  the  truth  of  what 
Unbelief  spoke  upon  this  account,  and  request- 
ed some  explanations,  then  the  wretch  told  him 
they  were  things  far  out  of  his  reach,  and  that 
he  had  no  part  or  lot  in  them ;  neither  could 
they  (if  it  were  possible  to  obtain  them)  answer 
his  present  necessities. 

Light-Fingers  told  him,  he  had  been  for 
a  long  while  his  best  friend  ;  and  if  it  had  not 
been  for  him,  he  had  been  starved  long  before 
now. 

Distrust  agreed  to  the  discourse  of  his  thiev- 
ing brother,*  and  positively  said,  if  he  turned 
Light-Fingers  out  of  his  house,  (as  he  knew 
he  must  if  Godliness  came  in,)  he  would  cer- 
tainly beg  from  door  to  door. 

Wasteful  told  him,  that  True  Godliness,  if 
entertained,  would  not  suffer  him  to  buy  so 
good  provisions  as  he  was  used  to  do,  on  trust, 

*  Reader  !  art  thou  poor,  and  afraid  of  abandoning 
some  unlawful  mode  of  gain  lest  you  should  suffer 
want  ?  Remember  that  it  is  Distrust  which  deters  yon 
from  reform.  "  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do  good,  an(d 
verily  Ihou  shall  be  fed."    Ps.  xxxvii.  3.  £d. 


82  TRAVELS    OP 

unless  he  knew  he  was  able  to  pay  for  them  ; 
and  that  he  would  not  suffer  him  to  go  any 
more  to  merry  meetings,  and  carouse  amongst 
good  fellows  at  the  bar-room,  nor  recreate 
himself  at  cards,  bowls,  nine-pins,  and  other 
sports,  for  money,  on  holidays ;  and  that  he 
must  be  content  with  such  things  as  he  had, 
and  never  lose  a  day's  work  to  gratify  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh,  and  that  also  he  inust  change 
his  company  ;  which  particularly  was  grievous 
for  Poverty  to  hear. 

Carping-Care  tried  to  fill  his  head  full  of  dis- 
tracting thoughts,  that  he  might  not  have  time 
to  think  of  God,  Christ,  nor  his  own  soul,  from 
one  week  to  another.  He  constantly  urged 
Poverty  to  make  it  his  great  study  either  to 
think  where  to  borrow  money,  and  so  get  more 
in  debt,  or  else  how  to  pay  what  he  owed,  to 
get  out  of  debt;  or  how  he  should  obtain  em- 
ployment. By  this  means  he  was  filled  with 
sad  thoughts,  not  knowing  how  he  should  pro- 
cure food  or  clothing  for  the  future.  Besides, 
it  could  not  go  out  of  his  mind,  but  that  at  one 
time  or  other  he  should  be  arrested,  and  thrown 
into  a  gaol,  having  many  times  fearfully  broken 
his  word. 

Faint-Heart  and  Fear-Man  represented  to 
him   the  danger   he  would  be  in  upon  many 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  S3 

considerations,  if   True  Godliness  was   enter- 
tained. 

For,  first,  they  told  him  how  contemptible 
Godliness  was  grown,  being  of  very  little  credit 
or  esteem  amongst  men  by  reason  of  VicCy 
which  was  never  more  popular ;  insomuch  that 
Godliness  was  likely  to  be  driven  out  of 
the  world.  They  said  to  him,  Mr.  Riches^  who 
is  lord  of  the  manor,  hath  beat  him  away  from 
his  door,  with  a  perfect  hatred  ;  now,  if  you 
entertain  him,  he  will  soon  hear  of  it,  and  so 
will  become  your  deadly  enemy,  and  will  pull 
down  your  cottage,  or  warn  you  out,  or  be  sure 
not  to  let  you  have  a  farthing  of  the  poor's- 
money,  nor  ever  set  you  to  work  any  more  ; 
and  what  will  become  then  of  your  poor  wife 
and  children  ?  Nay,  said  they,  we  will  tell  you 
more  ;  do  you  not  hear  what  cruel  edicts  have 
been  made  against  True  Godliness  1  And 
how  many  of  the  Protestant  churches  have 
been  pulled  down  and  utterly  demolished? 
And  how  he  is  persecuted  almost  every  where  ? 
A  more  liberal  and  pleasing  form  of  religion  is 
now  becoming  popular,  and  will  in  a  little  time 
be  generally  embraced,  and  they  who  entertain 
True  Godliness  must  expect  to  be  reproached 
and  reviled,  nay,  murdered.  Besides,  do  you 
not  hear  that  many  who  have  for  a  long  time 


84  TRAVELS    OF 

entertained  him,  have  lately  turned  him  out  of 
doors  ?  They  are  weary  of  him,  or  afraid  to  own 
him  ;  and  is  this  a  time  for  you  to  think  of 
embracing  him  ?  Poverty,  (said  they)  pity 
yourself,  and  have  more  wit ;  you  are  poor 
enough  already,  and  this  is  the  way  to  make 
yourself  more  miserable.  If  Riches  will  not 
entertain  him,  who  hath  many  advantages  to 
relieve  and  help  himself  in  distressing  times, 
and  sad  exigencies,  over  what  you  have,  or  can 
promise  yourself,  there  is  no  ground  of  encour- 
agement for  you  to  open  to  him.* 

Upon  this.  Poverty  resolved  not  to  let  True 
Godliness  have  a  lodging  in  his  house,  but  rath- 
er, to  put  stronger  bolts  and  bars  on  his  door. 
Godliness  having  waited  to  hear  what  these 
enemies  of  his  would  say,  and  perceiving  they 
had  now  done,  he  broke  silence,  and  began  to 
speak  after  this  manner. 

Godli.  Well,  Poverty,  T  expected  but  little 
less  from  you,  when  I  perceived  you  were  re- 
solved to  hearken  to  those  graceless  compan- 
ions and  wicked  children,  for  they  would  do 
their  worst  to  keep  me  out ;  but  I  shall  now, 
however,  to  undeceive  you,  answer  them  all. 

*The  obstacles  which hinderthe  poor  from  embrac- 
ing religion  are  here  strongly  portrayed.  How  true  is 
that  scripture,  Prov.  x.  15, ''  The  destruction  of  the 
poor  is  their  poverty."  Ed, 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  85 

As  to  those  indolent  companions,  Sloth  and 
Idleness,  who  would  not  wish  you  to  labour  for 
the  good  either  of  body  or  soul,  they  have  in 
part  brought  you  into  this  poor  and  miserable 
condition.  How  many  have  they  brought  to 
beg  their  bread  from  door  to  door  !  How  many 
have  they  stirred  up  to  rob,  steal,  and  commit 
horrible  murders,  to  uphold  them  in  their  loose, 
lazy,  and  ungodly  lives  ;  by  which  means  they 
have  brought,  and  daily  do  bring,  a  number  of 
men  and  women  to  the  gallows.  But  the  great- 
est mischief  they  do,  is  to  the  souls  of  men  ; 
for  they  cast  thousands  into  such  a  deep  sleep, 
that  they  will  never  awake  till  they  lift  up  their 
eyes  in  hell.  They  will  not  suffer  them  to  la- 
bour to  find  out  their  danger,  till  it  is  too  late  ; 
and  others,  when  they  do  perceive  their  woful 
condition,  are  hindered  by  them  from  endeav- 
ouring timely,  and  in  a  right  manner,  to  get 
out.  They  many  times  cry,  "  Lord,  help  us  •" 
and  "Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us!"  but  never 
strive  to  take  hold  of  the  offers  of  his  grace  and 
mercy,  by  cleaving  to  Christ,  and  leaving  their 
abominable  wickedness.  It  is  the  idle  soul 
that  suffers  hunger,  who  shall  beg  at  harvest, 
and  have  nothing ;  though  there  is  bread 
enough  and  to  spare  in  God's  house,  yet  they 
will  not  suffer  you  to  seek  for  it ;  but  cause 


86  TRAVELS    OF 

you  to  cry,  "  Yet  a  little  sleep,  yet  a  little 
slumber,  yet  a  little  folding  of  the  hands  to 
sleep,"  Prov.  xxiv.  33.  Is  it  not  sad,  notwith- 
standing your  case  is  so  unspeakably  urgent, 
you  cannot  through  Sloth  and  Idleness  rise  up  1 
You  are  just  ready  to  drop  into  ruin,  and  yet 
will  not  endeavour  to  deliver  your  own  soul.  O 
remember  that  word  !  "  Take  the  slothful 
and  unprofitable  servant,  and  bind  him  hand 
and  foot,  and  cast  him  into  outer  darkness  ; 
there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth," 
Matt.  XXV.  30.     And  then. 

As  to  Li^ht-Jingers,  he  is  a  thief,  and  if  you 
follow  his  dictates,  he  will  bring  you  to  the 
gibbet ;  besides,  "  No  thief  shall  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God."     1  Cor.  vi.  10. 

Wasteful^  his  brother,  is  almost  as  bad  as 
he.  It  was  this  vain  fellow  that  brought  the 
poor  prodigal  to  eat  husks  with  the  swine, 
Luke  XV.  It  is  he  who  not  only  causes  you  to 
waste,  and  foolishly  spend  your  money,  but 
also  your  precious  time,  which  should  be  im- 
proved for  the  good  of  your  perishing  soul. 
Poverty,  can  it  do  you  any  harm  to  be  taught 
to  become  a  better  husband,  and  not  to  con- 
sume the  little  you  sometimes  get,  amongst 
riotous  company,  which  might  be  a  great  com- 
fort to  your  poor  wife  and  children  ?    Let  me 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  87 

now  appeal  to  my  neighbour  Morality,  wheth- 
er there  is  any  ground  for  you  to  refuse  to  en- 
tertain me,  because  I  teach  you  to  be  content 
with  mean  things,  hard  fare,  and  put  you  upon 
severe  labour,  and  tell  you  not  to  run  into  debt, 
unless  you  know  how  to  pay. 

Ignorance  is  a  murderer,  and  hath  destroyed 
millions  of  souls  :  though  there  was  a  time  in- 
deed when  God  seemed  to  wink  at  him,  Acts 
xvii.  30,  that  is,  did  not  lay  (as  it  were)  his 
hands  immediately  upon  him  ;  he  now  is  left 
altogether  inexcusable,  because  God  hath  of- 
forded  you  a  sufficiency  of  light,  to  bring  you 
to  the  true  knowledge  of  salvation,  the  necessi- 
ty of  faith  and  true  godliness,  if  you  would  es- 
cape the  damnation  of  hell. 

1  found  Unbelief  {he  other  day  with  Riches, 
and  indeed  I  can  come  to  no  one's  door,  but  I 
find  him  within.  He  affirms,  that  all  my  prom- 
ises are  fictions  ;  being  unseen  things,  they 
have  no  reality  in  them,  or  things  to  which  you 
can  never  attain  ;  and  if  you  could,  yet  they 
could  not  answer  your  present  necessities.  If 
you  would  give  credit  to  such  a  notorious  liar, 
murderer,  and  blasphemer,  who  certainly,  in 
a  sly  and  treacherous  manner,  seeks  to  stab 
you  at  the  heart,  who  can  help  it  1  Are  Christ's 
promises  of  grace   and  peace  here,  and  glory 


Ob  TRAVELS    OF 

hereafter,  fictions,  because  not  seen  with  ex* 
ternal  eyes  ?  He  will  tell  you  also,  ere  long,  if 
you  will  believe  him,  that  there  is  no  God  nor 
Devil,  Heaven  nor  Hell,  because  not  visibly 
seen  with  eyes ;  he  may  suggest  the  one  to  you, 
as  well  as  the  other.  Come,  Poverty,  thous- 
ands of  my  children,  by  blessed  experience 
have  found  my  promises  no  fictions  nor  idle 
fancies,  but  things  full  of  reality,  marrow  and 
fatness :  "  O  taste  and  see  how  good  the  Lord 
isl"  And  why  may  not  you  obtain  these  glo- 
rious good  things,  viz.  union  and  communion 
with  God,  pardon  of  sin,  peace  of  conscience, 
and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  well  as  others  ? 
They  were  commonly  given  in  the  time  of  the 
gospel  to  the  poor.  Come,  Poverty,  these 
things  are  thine,  (as  sure  as  God  is  in  heaven,) 
if  thou  wilt  but  let  me  in  ;  poor  Lazarus  un- 
derstood them,  and  experienced  the  sweetness 
of  them,  and  shall  through  eternity.  And  then, 
lastly,  have  you  no  need  of  those  good  things^ 
of  mine,  because  they  may  not  so  directly  an- 
swer your  outward  necessity  ?  Are  not  the 
necessities  of  your  soul  more  to  be  minded  than 
to  get  store  of  meat,  drink,  clothes,  silver,  and 
gold  ?  What  are  all  these  things  to  the  love 
and  favour  of  God,  an  interest  in  Christ,  and 
a  right  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?     How  soon, 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  b9 

alas!  may  your  life  begone,  and  what  good 
will  these  things  do  you  then  ?  Do  you  not 
see  they  perish  in  the  using?  And  as  they 
are  corruptible,  so  likewise  they  can  never 
satisfy,  nor  fill  the  desires  of  your  soul,  nor  do 
they  suit  the  necessities  thereof.  Consider, 
can  any  of  these  things  make  thy  soul  happy  ? 
Can  gold  or  silver  enrich  it  ?  Or  the  rarest 
worldly  daintres  feed  it?  Or  wine  cheer  it? 
No,  Poverty  :  if  thou  hadst  the  things  of  this 
world  in  abundance,  yet  till  thou  lettest  me 
in,  and  raakest  me  thy  chief  companion,  thy 
soul  will  be  miserable.  What  is  it  to  have 
plenty  of  all  good  things,  and  no  God,  no  Christ, 
no  pardon,  no  peace,  but  contrary-wise,  the 
curse  of  God,  horror  of  conscience,  and  ruin 
at  last  ?  Thou  wilt.  Poverty,  become  more 
happy  if  thou  dost  open  thy  door  to  me,  and  thou 
and  I  dwell  together,  than  the  proudest  mon* 
arch  of  the  earth;  thy  comforts,  inward  peace, 
and  joy,  will  excel  theirs,  and  thy  riches  be 
more  abundant  in  quantity,  besides  the  rare 
and  excellent  quality  of  them;  nay„and  thy 
glory  will  be  far  more  transcendent :  and  be- 
sides, it  will  abide  with  thee  to  all  eternity. 
As  touching  Carping-Care,  he  hath  almost 
broken  thy  heart  already  :  he  will  not  let  thee 
sleep  at  night :  but  by  telling  thee  of  thy  wants 
H 


%  TRAVELS    OF 

necessities,  sadly  disturbs  thy  mind,  thoiigb 
he  never  gave  thee  a  farthing;  and  why 
shouldst  thou  hearken  to  him  any  longer  ?  He 
is  thy  utter  enemy  as  well  as  mine.  Turn  him 
away,  and  Christ  will  care  for  you. 

He  has  depressed  thy  spirits,  weakened  thy 
body,  and  marred  thy  senses,  especially  the 
spiritual  senses  of  thy  soul :  so  that  thou  canst 
not  think  one  serious  thought  all  the  day. 
Nay,  when  Sloth  and  Idleness  will  even  let 
thee  go  to  hear  God's  word,  he  follows  thee 
thither  too  :  and  so  confounds  thy  mind  with 
wandering  thoughts,  that  devotion  is  spoiled, 
and  you  profit  nothing;  therefore,  I  beseech  you^ 
thrust  him  out. 

Distrust,  that  faithless  fellow,  sets  on  this 
base  Carping-Care,  to  perplex  thy  mind.  And 
this  is  not  all ;  he  tells  thee  if  thou  turnest 
Light-Fingers  out  of  doors,  thou  wilt  certain- 
ly go  a  begging.  Come,  Poverty,  they  are  a 
pack  of  lying  enemies,  set  on  by  their  great 
master  Apollyon,  to  bring  thee  to  shame. 
What !  can  there  be  no  way  to  live,  but  by 
breaking*  God's  commandment,  "  Thou  shall 
not  steal."  Is  not  he  a  wretch  that  shall  call 
in  question  the  care  and  faithfulness  of  God, 
whose  promises  are  to  feed  and  clothe  thee, 
and  to  supply  all   thy   necessities  in  the  way 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  91 

of  thy  duty,  so  that  thou  shalt  ''  want  no  good 
thing,"  (as  I  stated  before,)  though  thou  pos- 
sibly mayest  think  that  good  for  thee,  which 
God  knows  is  not?  Isa.  xl.  11.  Psal.  xxxiv. 
9,  10. 

In  the  last  place,  let  me  speak  a  few  words 
to  those  cowardly  fellows,  Faint-Heart  and 
Fear-Man.  Isa.  li.  12.  They  would  have  you 
fear  man  more  than  God ;  and  yet  I  am  ready 
to  believe  some  of  their  words  take  as  much 
place  upon  your  heart  as  any  thing  you  heard 
from  the  other. 

They  say  I  am  grown  here  of  late  very  con- 
temptible, and  am  of  very  little  esteem  or  cred- 
it amongst  men,  Isa.  liii.  3,  and  that  I  shall  ere 
long  be  constrained  to  fly  into  a  corner  to  hide 
myself. 
To  this  I  answer,  I  never  had  much  esteem 
amongst  great  men  ;  nay,  in  every  age  of  the 
world  very  few  of  such  have  given  credit  to 
me :  and  now  being  come  almost  to  the  end 
of  my  travels  into  the  last  and  worst  age,  I  ex- 
pect no  other  usage.  How  should  I  have 
many  to  admire  ami  fall  in  love  with  me,  when 
the  Bible  positively  says,  "  All  the  world  won- 
dered after  the  beast,"  Rev.  xiii.  3,  that  is, 
they  were  in  love  with,  and  admired  Counter- 


92  TRAVELS    OF 

feit  Godliness  1  I  marvel  not  at  it,  because 
the  false  prophets  have  ever  been  more  readily 
embraced  than  the  true,  and  their  words  gen- 
erally believed.  "  If  another  comes  in  his  own 
name,"  (saith  Jesus  Christ)  "  him  you  will  re- 
ceive." The  reason  is  easily  discerned  :  be- 
cause they  soothe  the  people  in  their  sins, 
1  Kings  xxii.  13,  22.  Do  you  not  see  how 
Counterfeit  Godliness  gives  liberty  to  men  to 
please  their  sensual  lusts,  teaching  an  easier 
way  to  Heaven  than  I  ever  did  or  can  1  for 
I  always  taught,  as  at  this  day,  the  doctrine  of 
self-denial,  Mark  viii.  34,  the  necessity  of 
faith  in  Christ,  regeneration,  and  mortificatioia 
of  sin,  &/C.  John  iii.  5. 

They  say,  I  shall  ere  long  be  forced  to  fly 
into  some  corner ;  if  it  should  chance  so  to 
come  to  pass,  wo  be  to  you  ;  and  indeed  you 
had  the  more  need  with  all  speed  to  receive 
me  into  your  house,  lest  if  I  retire  you  find 
me  not,  and  so  perish  in  your  sins,  John  viii.  22. 

Again,  What  though  Riches  hath  rejected 
me,  he  never  had  much  kindness  for  me,  but 
was  generally  my  enemy ;  «nd  whereas  they 
say,  he  will  be  displeased  with  you,  and  warn 
you  out  of  your  house,  if  you  entertain  me, 
what  then  ?  Christ  will  receive  you  into  his 
house,  and  how  much  better  to   possess  him 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  93 

for  a  friend,  than  any  prince  upon  the  earth. 
*'When  my  father  and  mother  forsake  me," 
saith  David,  "  the  Lord  will  take  me  up." 
Have  you  not  read  of  that  poor  man  whom  the 
Pharisees  excommunicated  for  cleaving  to  me, 
and  how  the  Lord  Jesus  graciously  received 
him  1  John  ix.  35.  Come,  Poverty,  do  not 
fear  the  worst  that  men  can  do.  God  will 
help  ycu,  and  he  is  above  all ;  and  it  will  be 
but  a  little  while  before  that  word  shall  be 
made  good,  "  Your  brethren  that  hated  you, 
and  cast  you  out  for  my  name's  sake,  said,  Let 
the  Lord  be  glorified ;  but  he  will  appear  to 
your  joy,  and  they  shall  be  ashamed,"  Isa.  Ixvi. 
5.  Alas  !  my  friend,  the  time  is  at  hand  when 
all  will  be  undone,  and  be  forced  to  cry  out. 
Wo,  wo,  wo,  that  ever  we  were  born  !  except 
those  who  make  me  the  joy  and  delight  of 
their  hearts.  Say  to  the  righteous,  "  it  shall 
be  well  with  him ;  wo  to  the  wicked,  it  shall 
be  ill  with  him,"  Isa.  iii.  10. 

As  to  what  Fear-Man  affirms  that  many 
who  heretofore  entertained  me  have  lately 
driven  me  away,  it  is  sad  indeed,  to  see  any 
leave  me  in  my  adversity ;  but  they  were  false 
friends,  and  let  them  go,  John  vi.  QQ ;  but  do 
thou  but  kindly  embrace  me,  and  I  will  keep 
thee  from   falling ;   nay,  thou   shalt  find  me 


94  TRAVELS    OF 

a  sure  refuge  and  defence  to  thee  in  the  day 
of  distress,  Psal.  ix.  9.  Yea,  and  I  will  store 
thee  with  such  good  things  as  the  rich  have 
not.  I  am  resolved  to  feast  thy  soul  continu- 
ally, and  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee. 
Isa.  XXV.  6.  Come,  thou  and  I  shall  live 
most  happily  together,  notwithstanding  thou 
art  poor,  if  we  can  but  get  my  dear  friend 
Content  to  dwell  with  us,  1  Tim.  vi.  6.  What 
dost  thou  say.  Poverty  1  Shall  I  find  ad- 
mittance 1 

Notwithstanding  all  that  Godliness  could 
say,  Poverty  -womX^  not  give  way  to  him,  but 
began  to  give  him  reviling  words,  saying,  he 
was  born  a  gentleman,  though  he  was  now 
so  poor ;  and  that  he  would  not  suffer  such 
tumults  at  his  door  ;  for  it  seems  while  Godli- 
ness was  praying  and  pressing  for  entertain- 
ment, one  Persecution,  the  offspring  of  Adam's 
eldest  son  Cain,  Gen.  iv.  8,  had  collected  some 
wicked  fellows  together,  to  drive  Godliness 
away  from  Poverty's  door.  Thus  by  the  op- 
position within  doors  and  without  Godliness 
found  no  lodging  there  ;  and  at  last  had  to  de- 
part, though  he  escaped  not  without  many 
bitter  threatenings  and  blasphemous  words. 

Now,  one  reason  why  neither  Riches  nor 
Poverty  would  receive    True  Godliness  was, 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  95 

because  Consideration  dwelt  with  neither  of 
them,  who  being  a  grave  counsellor,  might  pos- 
sibly have  given  them  better  advice,  than  to 
deny  entertainment  to  so  estimable  a  friend. 
Godliness,  after  this,  began  to  be  at  a  stand 
which  way  to  travel  next;  but  hearing  of  Youth^ 
who  lived  not  far  off,  he  resolved  to  see  whether 
he  might  not  get  a  dwelling  with  him,  becaus<5 
he  was  one  that  his  commission  particularly 
directed  him  to  visit. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Godliness  applies  to  Youth,  who  pleads  various 
Excuses,  and  at  last  utterly  declines  receiving 
him  at  present. 

Not  discouraged  with  the.  mal-treatment  from 
which  he  has  just  escaped,  Godliness  hastens 
to  Youth,  whom  he  finds  enjoying  himself  in 
the  shade  of  a  beautiful  grove,  attended  by  his 
companions. 

With  difficulty  could  he  obtain  any  notice ; 
and  when  he  did,  Youth  looked  on  him  with 
some  rudeness,  and  inquired,  with  visible  re- 
sentment at  the  intrusion,  who  he  was. 

GodlL  Your  true  friend  and  well  wisher, 
Godliness.  I  have  come  to  offer  my  company 
and  services,  and  am  ready  not  only  to  teach 
you  how  best  to  enjoy  this  present  life,  but  the 
only  method  of  escaping  the  awful  evils  of  the 
world  to  come. 

Youth.  Dear  Sir,  I  am  not  so  ignorant  of 
the  sources  of  delight  as  to  need  your  counsel  j 


TRAVELS  OF  TRUE  GODLINESS.      97 

and  as  to  the  future  dangers,  of  which  you 
speak,  I  mean  to  guard  against  them.  And 
beside,  do  you  think  me  a  wicked  reprobate  ? 
1  mean  to  injure  no  one  in  my  gaiety.  My 
character  is  without  a  spot,  I  assure  you.  Go 
to  old  cruel  misers,  and  to  thieves,  and  such 
wicked  persons,  and  reform  them ;  as  for  me, 
1  have  no  need  of  you,  Mr.  Godliness,  at 
present. 

GodlL  Aye,  Sir,  but  you  need  my  Master's 
righteousness.  Rev.  iii.  17,  18,  and  also  a  part 
in  his  kingdom  ;  and  these  are  but  a  part  of 
those  glorious  commodities  I  have  to  bestow 
upon  you,  if  you  will  follow  my  instruc- 
tions. 

Youth.  Aye,  there  it  is ;  I  perceive  I  must 
entertain  you,  if  I  would  have  them  ;  but  1  tell 
you  plainly,  though  my  purpose  is  to  hearken 
to  your  words  at  a  proper  time,  yet  just  now 
your  company  does  not  suit  my  age.  Sir,  you 
will  spoil  all  my  pleasures,  if  I  now  receive 
you.  You  will  cause  me  also  to  abandon  these 
dear  friends  and  companions  who  rejoice  my 
heart  by  their  friendship  and  delightful  so- 
ciety. 

Now,  those  whom  Youth  called  his  friends 
were  Pride,  Wanton,  Vain-Glory,  Love-Lust, 
I 


9S  TRAVELS    OF 

Amhiiion,  Gay-Clothes^  Gamester^  Please- 
Friend,  Time-Server,  Scornful,  Hate-Good^ 
and  Scoffer* 

Godli.  Young  man,  believe  me,  those  pleas- 
ures and  delights  upon  which  your  heart  is  so 
much  set  are  very  hateful  to  God,  and  also 
abase  your  noble  soul,  which  is  of  a  sublime 
extraction.  Farthermore,  hear  Solomon,  "Re- 
joice, O  young  man,  in  the  days  of  thy  youth, 
and  walk  in  the  ways  of  thy  heart,  and  in  the 
sight  of  thine  eyes.  But  know,  that  for  all 
these  things,  God  will  bring  thee  into  judg- 
ment." O,  my  young  friend,  you  will  in- 
deed pay  dear  at  last  for  all  your  sensual 
pleasures. 

Yovth.  But  for  all  you  say,  Solomon  made 
trial  of  all  the  delights  of  the  children  of  men 
before  he  condemned  them,  and  so  wiM  I  too, 
as  far  as  I  can. 

Godli.  It  is  true,  Solomon  did  so  ;  and 
doth  he  not,  by  the  sad  experience  he  had  of 
them,  tell    you,  "All  was  vanity  and  vexation 

*  Though  every  youth  is  not  influenced  by  all  these 
lusts  and  temptations,  yet  let  no  reader  be  satisfied  be- 
cause he  is  divested  of  a  part,  if  he  be  conscious  of 
cherishing  any.  '  One  leak  will  sink  a  ship,  and  one 
habitual  sin  will  destroy  the  soul,  i  Ed, 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  99 

of  spirit?"*  Come,  son,  you  had  better  bet- 
ter believe  the  poison  in  the  cup  is  deadly,  than 
taste  of  it. 

Youth.  Sir,  pray  speak  no  more ;  I  have 
not  yet  sowed  all  my  wild  oats;  let  me  alone. 
In  due  time  I  shall  send  for  you. 

Godli.  Let  me  rather  persuade  you  to  re- 
member that  "  he  that  soweth  to  the  flesh, 
shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption."  Gal.  vi.  S. 
You  will  consult  your  best  interests  by  sowing 
to  the  spirit.  And  now  I  will  foretell  you 
what  kind  of  crop  you  will  have  at  harvest  by 
sowing  to  the  flesh. 

Youth.  Why,  Sir,  what  crop  shall  I  reap  ? 

Godli.  You  are  likely,  in  the  first  place,  to 
reap  in  this  world  disappointment  and  regret, 
as  the  fruit  of  your  folly  and  irreligion. 

*  Solomon  never  deliberately  chose  to  discard  religion, 
and  indulge  iniquity  ;  and  is  therefore  no  authority  for 
the  decision  which  Youth  makes.  It  is  remarkable 
that  no  sin  is  recorded  of  Solomon  till  after  he  gave  ev- 
idence of  true  piety.  His  sins  therefore  arose  from  great 
infirmity  and  temptation.  Youth  should  remember  that 
a  sin  called  small  by  the  world,  is  greater  before  God, 
when  deliberately  committed,  than  a  more  scandalous 
offence  to  which  there  was  great  provocation,  and 
which  is  sincerely  lamented.  Ed. 


100  TRAVELS    OF 

Secondly,  you  will  reap  infamy  and  reproach; 
for  *'sin  is  the  shame  of  any  people."  Prov. 
xiv.  34.  And  it  will  be  a  wonder  if  you  do 
not  reap  want  and  beggary  too  in  the  end. 

Thirdly,  you  will  reap  a  crop  of  horrible 
and  unsupportable  guilt,  Prov.  xviii.  14,  by 
which  means  your  conscience  will  so  torment 
you,  that  you  will  not  be  able  to  endure  it,  un- 
less you  go  on  in  this  ungodly  course  so  long 
that  it  shall  become  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron, 
and  then  you  will  reap  foul  and  detestable 
pollution ;  yea,  such  corruption  that  will  cause 
God  to  loathe  your  soul. 

Fourthly,  you  will  reap  all  the  fearful  plagues 
and  curses  that  are  in  the  book  of  God  pro- 
nounced against  wicked  and  presumptuous 
sinners,  Deut.  xxix.  19,20,21. 

And  lastly,  at  the  great  and  terrible  day  of 
judgment,  you  will  reap  a  full  crop  of  God's 
eternal  wrath  and  vengeance  ;  the  dread  ret- 
ribution of  endless  torments.  Matt.  xxv.  41. 
Now,  if,  with  all  these  things  before  you;*  you 

*  The  young  man,  deluded  by  the  great  adversary, 
cherishes  no  apprehensions  of  so  fatal  and  unalterable 
consequences.  But  such  are,  assuredly,  the  penalties 
of  folly,  and  he  who  persists  in  his  evil  way,  does  but 
pull  down  these  curses  upon  his  own  head.  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  101 

like  to  gather  such  a  harvest,  go  on  and  sow 
to  the  flesh  plentifully. 

Youth.  Sir,  I  intend  to  sow  other  seed 
hereafter  ;  I  desire  only  a  little  liberty  in  these 
my  youthful  days.  If  you  will  call  when  I  am 
old,  I  shall  be  willing  to  entertain  you  ;  nay, 
Sir,  I  solemnly  promise  you,  1  will  then  open 
my  doors  to  you. 

Godli.  Alas  1  my  young  friend,  promises 
to  open  hereafter  to  God  and  True  Godliness^ 
seldom  end  in  real  performance  :  he  who  prom- 
ised to  go  and  work  in  his  master's  vineyard 
went  not,  Matt.  xxi.  30.  Such  as  now  decline 
my  proposals  with  promises  to  become  godly 
hereafter,  it  is  evident,  purpose  to  be  wicked 
for  the  present.  Besides,  do  you  know  you 
shall  live  to  advanced  age  ?  Or,  if  you  should, 
that  God  will  send  me  then  to  knock  at  your 
door  1  Nay,  let  me  tell  you,  if  1  should  then 
visit  you,  I  fear  it  will  be  to  no  purpose,  be- 
cause you  already  ripen  apace  in  wickedness, 
and  sin  is  of  a  hardening  nature.  Evil  habits 
are  not  easily  changed  ;  the  Ethiopian  may  as 
soon  change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots, 
as  you  may  learn  to  do  well,  Jer.  xiii.  23.  and 
open  to  me,when  you  have  been  a  long  time  ac- 
customed to  do  evil :  therefore  open  to  me  now. 


102  TRAVELS    OP 

Youth.  Sir,  you  will  excite  my  displeasure 
presently,  if  you  do  not  leave  off  your  canting. 
You  are,  I  am  sure,  a  gentleman  for  whom 
few  or  none  have  any  regard.  Have  any  of 
the  rulers  and  nobles  of  the  nation  embraced 
you  ?  John  vii.  48.  Why  do  you  not  see  if 
they  will  entertain  you? 

Godli.  Nay,  be  not  offended  with  me  ;  I 
seek  your  profit ;  I  will  do  you  no  wrong.  You 
shall  not  suffer  in  the  end  by  me,  though  possi- 
bly you  may  have  to  part  with  some  things  for 
my  sake  ;  but  if  you  do,  I  will  repay  you  again 
an  hundred-fold  in  this  world.  Matt.  xix.  29; 
and  in  the  world  to  come  you  shall  have  life 
everlasting.  What  though  not  many  mighty, 
not  many  noble  ones  love,  or  entertain  me, 
1  Cor.  i.  26,  it  is  not  because  I  do  not  deserve 
esteem  from  them,  but  because  they  are  incens- 
ed against  me  by  the  devil,  and  are  in  love 
with  Vice,  my  mortal  enemy.  Sir,  I  am  tra- 
duced, and  rendered  very  odious  by  wicked 
men,  as  if  I  were  factious,  restless,  and  sedi- 
tious. Acts  xxiv.  25.  And  this  is  the  reason 
why  I  am  so  slighted  and  contemned. 

Youth.  Aye,  and  to  speak  the  truth,  1  can- 
not believe  but  that  you  are  the  cause  of  all 
the  present  discord,  animosities,  and  confu- 
sions that  are  amongst  us ;  for  since  you  came 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  103 

into  this  country,  what  disputes,  contentions, 
and  distractions,  have  been  here  1* 

GocUi.  I  and  my  children  ever,  I  must  con» 
fess,  were  thus  censured  and  falsely  accused, 
though  never  sj  stigmatized  as  now  of  late, 
Isa.  viii.  IS,  Jerusalem  ofold  was  called  a  re- 
bellious and  bad  city,  because  I  dwelt  in  it ; 
and  my  enemies  said  ofold  time.  Sedition  had 
been  there,  and  that  it  was  a  great  enemy  to 
kings  and  governments,  Ezra  iv.  12,  ]5.  But 
it  is  no  marvel  I  am  thus  abused,  considering 
my  Lord  and  Master  himself  was  loaded  with 
like  calumnies,  John  x.  20.  being  accused 
with  sedition,  and  called  an  enemy  to  Caesar 
likewise.  But  let  not  this  discourage  you  from 
receiving  me,  for  all  these  charges  are  utterly 
false,  being  contrary  to  my  nature,  and  abhor- 
ed  by  me  and  all  my  good  friends.  I  do  this 
day  protest  and  declare  I  am  unjustly  charged. 
I  am  for  peace,  unity,  and  concord,  and  always 
teach  them.    I  abhor  strife  and  contention,  and 

*  Youth  has  but  just  affirmed  his  intention  to  regard 
religion  at  a  future  period,  but  gladly  catches  at  a 
thought  which  helps  him  to  make  present  opposition. 
If  godliness  were  hurtful,  it  should  never  be  admit- 
ted. He  promises  future  admission,  while  he  at  present 
denounces  it.  Thus  inconsistent  are  the  excuses  men 
offer,  and  thus  do  they  deceive  themselves.  Ed. 


104  TRAVELS    OF 

every  evil  work,  and  have  endeavored  to  bring 
all  men  to  live  in  love  with  one  another.  I 
always  teach  those  who  embrace  me,  to  be  ho- 
ly, peaceable,  gentle,  easy  to  be  entreated,  full 
of  mercy  ;  to  hate  hypocrisy,  and  deny  all  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh.  Therefore  take  notice,  if 
any  who  are  called  by  my  name,  or  profess 
love  to  me,  are  unholy,  given  to  strife,  conten- 
tion, falling  out  with  their  neighbors,  making 
causeless  disturbance  in  the  town,  place,  or 
house  where  they  dwell,  or  churches  also,  I 
do  this  day  utterly  disown  them.  If  at  any 
time  where  I  am  received,  the  father  is  set 
against  the  son,  and  the  son  against  the  father, 
or  one  neighbour  against  another,  it  is  not  I 
that  am  the  cause  of  it,  but  those  enemies, 
Pride,  Unbelief,  and  Sensuality,  that  are  ia 
the  hearts  of  the  adverse  party,  they  having  es- 
poused the  miexesio^  Ap  oily  on,  my  grand  en- 
emy ;  and  alas  !  it  will  be  so,  unless  1  could 
connive  at,  or  bear  with  those  evils  which  are 
in  the  hearts  of  men.  But  can  it  be  supposed 
that  Virtue  should  agree  with  Vice,  or  True 
Godliness  indulge  men  in  Ungodliness,  or 
Truth  join  in  with  Error  1  Alas  !  should  1  do 
this,  1  should  lose  my  very  being,  and  be  no 
more  what  I  am.  It  is  as  impossible  for  light 
to  have  fellowship  with  darkness,  or  Christ  to 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  105 

have  concord  with  Belial,  as  it  is  for  me  to  al- 
low of  any  of  the  enormities  of  men.  Should 
my  children  do  it,  they  would  at  that  very  in- 
stant cease  to  be  my  children.  Therefore,  let 
all  the  world  bear  me  witness,  that  I  clear  my- 
self of  those  crimes  and  calumnies  with  which 
I  am  charged.  And  farther,  to  vindicate  my- 
self, I  call  in  the  testimony  of  St.  James  ;  hear 
what  he  hath  to  say  in  relation  to  the  horrible 
charge  brought  against  me.  "  But  if  ye  have 
bitter  envying  and  strife  in  your  hearts,  glory 
not,  and  lie  not  against  the  truth.  This  wis- 
dom descendeth  not  from  above,  but  is  earth- 
ly, sensual,  devilish."  Ch.  iii.  14,  15.  "  From 
whence  come  wars  and  fightings  among  you  ? 
come  they  not  hence,  even  of  your  lusts,  that 
war  in  your  members?"    Ch.  iv.  1. 

Youth,  It  will  not  be  for  my  honour  to  give 
you  a  reception.  I  shall  be  derided  and  scoff- 
ed at,  should  I  do  it,  and  be  looked  upon  as  a 
foolish  person  :  therefore  pray  depart. 

Godli.  What  if  you  lose  the  honour  of  this 
world  ?  I  will  raise  you  to  far  greater  :  "  For 
honour  and  riches' are  with  Christ ;  yea,  last- 
ing riches  and  righteousness."  Prov.  viii.  18. 
John  xii.  26.  They  that  receive  me,  and 
serve  Christ,  God  will  honour. 

Youth.  Pray  let  me  alone  at  least  until  anoth- 


106  TRAVELS    OF 

er  time,  when  I  shall  have  advanced  a  little  in 
life. 

Godli.  Sir,  my  Master  commands  you  to 
"  remember  him  now  in  the  days  of  your 
youth,"  Eccles.  xii.  1,  and  to  remember  him, 
is  to  embrace  me  :  and  let  me  tell  you,  to  re- 
ject me,  is  rebellion  against  him  who  is  the 
King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,  John  xii.  48. 
Shall  not  what  he  requires  be  done  1 

Youth.  I  have  other  business  at  present; 
take  your  answer,  therefore,  and  depart. 

Godli.  Do  not  mistake.  To  receive  me, 
and  to  lead  a  godly  life,  is  business  of  the  great- 
est concernment.  Were  you  not  made  and 
sent  hither  on  purpose  to  serve  and  honour 
your  Creator,  and  not  to  live  like  an  irrational 
being,  and  serve  the  enemy  of  all  righteous- 
ness, as  you  have  done  ?  Isa.  xliii.  2 1 .  Acts  xvi. 
27.  If  you  persist  in  these  courses,  be  as- 
sured you  will  perish  in  hell  at  last. 

Upon  this  the  young  gallant  was  in  a  great 
rage,  and  affirmed  that  he  would  be  revenged 
on  him,  and  on  all  his  friends,  if  he  did  not 
keep  at  a  distance.  And  his  companions  and 
attendants,  mentioned  before,  stirred  him  up  to 
fall  upon  Godliness  immediately,  and  compel 
him  to  depart.  Pride  swelled,  Vain-Glory 
vaunted  himself;    and  both  bid  him   disdain 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  107 

the  proposal  Godliness  had  made.  TimC' 
Server  andPlease-Friendshld  him  conform  to 
the  custom  of  the  times,  and  do  as  other  youth 
did.  Scornful  looked  with  contempt  upon 
True-Godliness ;  Gamester,  set  him  to  play  at 
cards  ;  Love-Lust  enticed  him  to  the  abodes 
of  infamy  ;  Scoffer  and  Scornful  jeered  and 
derided  him  :  and  not  only  so,  but  made  base 
Bongs  of  him  ;  and  Hate-Good  commanded 
them  all  to  fall  upon  him,  and  banish  him  from 
the  world.  Had  it  not  been  for  fear  of  some 
neighbours,  though  they  were  but  moral  people, 
he  had  doubtless  been  utterly  trodden  down 
under  their  feet.  But  happily  he  escaped  this 
time  also,  leaving  poor  deluded  Youth  to  him- 
self, resolved  to  gratify  his  own  sensual  and 
luxurious  appetites. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Godliness  at  the  Door  of  Old-Age  ;  the  Reasons 
why  he  refused  to  entertain  him. 

Godliness,  being  now  rejected  by  Riches, 
Poverty  and  Youth,  resolved  to  see  whether 
he  might  not  be  entertained  by  a  certain  de- 
crepit and  feeble  person,,called  Old-Age,  con- 
cluding with  himself  that  it  was  very  probable 
his  dear  friend,  Consideration,  whom  he  had  a 
long  time  sought  for,  might  lodge  in  his  house ; 
for,  said  he,  surely  Wisdom,  though  he  dwell 
not  with  Riches,  Poverty,  nor  Youth,  yet 
doubtless  he  will  be  found  with  the  aged.  Job 
xxxii.  7.  Besides  these  encouragements,  he 
believed  him  to  be  the  same  person  who,  when 
he  was  on  a  journey  many  years  before,  had 
promised  to  welcome  him  at  some  future  lime. 
He  therefore  made  directly  up  to  his  door;  but 
knocked  and  called  a  considerable  time  with- 
out any  answer.  At  last  Old  Age  inquired 
who  was  at  his  door. 

Godli.  Your  real  friend,  True  Godliness, 
who  would  fain  have  a  lodging  with  you. 


Old   cure    i?i,/uOYid.    whc   was'    a^  f/^.s     rZom 


B0ST013",  XTNCOIN  fcEDMA^IDS. 


TRAVELS  OF  TRUE  GODLINESS.     109 

Old-Age.  Godliness!  1  have  heard,  I  think, 
of  you,  but  do  not  know  you.  Besides,  I  am  not 
able  to  rise  up  from  my  chair  to  let  you  in.  I 
have  such  a  weak  and  crazy  body,  and  am  so 
full  of  pains  and  aches,  that  I  have  enough  to 
do  to  sustain  my  own  infirmities.  Pray  come 
another  time  :  do  not  now  trouble  me. 

Godli.  Alas  !  Father,  you  may  not  live  an- 
other day  ;  death  may  seize  you  before  to-mor- 
roW  morning,  Prov.  xxvii.  1.  Why  should  you 
put  me  off?  I  came  to  you  when  you  were 
young,  and  then  you  stated  that  you  could  not 
welcome  me,  because  you  had  not  sowed  all 
your  wild  oats,  and  you  were  too  young,  and 
I  was  not  a  suitable  companion  for  Youth. 
Moreover,  you  then  said,  when  you  were  old, 
you  would  let  me  in  ;  ^nd  will  you  put  me  off 
now  too  ? 

But  all  would  not  avail.  Old-Age  was  set- 
tled so  on  his  lees,  and  had  had  such  rebellious 
servants  and  children,  that  they  would  not  suf- 
fer him  to  show  Godliness  the  least  favour,  Jer. 
xlviii.  11.  The  names  of  some  of  them  were 
Weary-Limhs,  Dim-Eyes,  Peevish^  Hard- 
Heart,  Impenitency ,  Self-Conceit,  Enmity, 
Unbelief,  and  Ignorance ;  with  many  more  of 
similar  character.     Those   first  named   were 


110  TRAVELS    OF 

his  own  natural  offspring,  and  somewhat  young- 
er than  the  rest.  Hard-Heart  had  been  nour- 
ished and  fed  continually  from  youth,  for  God- 
liness found  him  at  his  house  when  he  former- 
ly gave  him  a  visit;  but  now  he  was  grown 
very  stout,  stubborn,  and  obdurate.  This  ser- 
vant induced  Old-Age  not  to  regard  at  all  the 
threats  of  God.  And  he  was  so  void  of  pity, 
that  he  stirred  Old-Age  up  to  oppress  poor 
Conscience,  who  kept  his  accounts,  and  at  ev- 
ery turn  to  tread  him  under  foot,  for  telling 
him  so  often  of  his  debts,  (viz.  what  abundance 
of  abominable  sins  he  had  committed  against 
God  ;)  and  not  only  so,  but  not  to  regard  or 
pity  the  sad  estate  of  his  own  soul.  Nor  did 
Old-Age  concern  himself  with  the  low  condi- 
tion of  God's  church,  but  would  curse  and 
swear,  and  utter  falsehoods,  and  now  and  then 
be  intoxicated,  notwithstanding  he  was  even 
ready  to  drop  into  hell  !  And  all  this  occurred 
through  the  evil  nature  of  this  Hard-Hearty 
and  his  companions  Enmity  and  Unbelief. 

These  three  had  also  bred  up  another  grace- 
less inmate  as  bad  as  themselves,  one  Impeni- 
tcncy ;  so  that  all  that  could  be  said  to  him  by 
Godliness^  and  his  servant,  Theology,  concern- 
ing the  detestable  nature  of  sin,  and  his  miser- 
able condition,  yet  he  could  not  be  brought  to 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  Ill 

repent,  nor  to  let  one  tear  fall  for  his  sins  ;  so 
that  that  word  of  the  blessed  apostle  was  niade 
good  in  hinn,  "  But  after  thy  hard  and  impeni- 
tent heart,  thou  treasurest  up  unto  thyself 
wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath,  and  revelation 
of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God,  who  will 
render  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds." 
Rom.  ii.  5,  6. 

Ignorance  was  in  Youth's  house,  and  in 
Poverty's  house,  but  not  such  a  deplorable  Ig- 
norance as  seemed  to  be  with  Old- Age;  for 
he  affirmed  that  God  did  not  trouble  himself 
to  take  notice  of  what  men  did  below,  but  was 
taken  up  in  relation  to  high  matters  in  heaven  ; 
neither  indeed  could  he  believe  that  he  saw 
through  dark  clouds.  "  Is  not  God,"  said  he, 
"in  the  height  of  heaven  ?  and  behold  the  height 
of  the  stars,  how  high  they  are  !  And  how  doth 
God  know  ?  Can  he  judge  through  the  dark 
clouds?  Thick  clouds  are  a  covering  to  him, 
that  he  seeth  not ;  and  he  walketh  in  the  cir- 
cuit of  heaven."     Job  xxii.  12,  13,  14. 

Moreover,  he  and  Unbelief  to\d  him  that  he 
had  as  good  a  heart  as  the  best ;  and  that  to 
hear  and  read  some  good  prayers,  and  to  mean 
well,  was  godliness  enough  for  him.  Besides, 
they  would  not  suffer  him  to  believe  that  God 
ever  cast  any  of  his  creatures,  into  a  lake  of 


112  TRAVELS    OP 

fire.  Nay,  he  was  almost  persuaded  to  be- 
lieve there  was  no  hell  at  all.  As  it  regarded 
heaven,  they  told  hirn  there  might  be  some 
such  state,  and  if  so,  though  he  might  not  have 
so  elevated  a  place  there  as  some  men,  yet  he 
should  get  in  among  the  crowd  and  find  some 
corner,  for  heaven  was  very  spacious. 

Self-Conceit  flattered  him,  and  made  him 
think  so  highly  of  himself,  that  notwithstand- 
ing all  that  Godliness  could  say  to  confute  Ig- 
norance and  Unbelief,  he  utterly  disregarded 
it.  He  said,  they  were  all  fools  who  troubled 
themselves  about  sin  and  another  world  ;  and 
that  he  who  had  lived  so  many  years,  under- 
stood better,  and  knew  what  to  do.  He  bid 
Godliness  cease  his  importunity ;  for,  said  he, 
every  tub  must  stand  upon  its  own  bottom  ;  and 
sure  1  am  God  will  not  cast  away  an  old  man. 
I  was  born  a  Christian,  and  made  a  child  of 
God,  a  member  of  Christ,  and  heir  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  by  my  baptism,  and  would  you 
persuade  me  to  think  my  condition  is  bad  at 
last  ?  No,  Sir,  I  understand  what  religion  is 
very  well.  Do  not  mistake  yourself,  for  1  do 
not  see  that  I  am  much  pressed  by  our  par- 
son to  strict  godliness,  but  to  come  now  then 
to  hear  prayers,  and  receive  the  sacrament,  and 
this  I  am  resolved  to  do.     And  though  my  con- 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  113 

dition  is  considered  so  bad  by  you,  I  am  sure 
there  are  many  in  our  parish,  and  good  church- 
men, who  are  as  bad  if  not  far  worse  than  I. 

Godliness  by  this  time  perceived  Old  Age 
was  so  hardened  in  his  sins,  and  trained  up  by 
Ignorance  for  so  long  a  time,  that  it  was  next 
to  an  impossibility  for  the  evil  habits  he  had 
acquired  by  being  accustomed  so  long  to  those 
ways  of  Vice  and  Ungodliness ,  should  ever  be 
changed ;  and  considering  he  was  become  so 
unteachable  and  self-conceited,  was  resolved 
to  leave  him,  not  thinking  it  was  worth  his  time 
to  wait  longer  at  his  door,  nor  give  any  reply  to 
those  base  bred  children  and  servants  whom 
he  kept  in  his  house ;  for  Peevish*  made  hina 
so  snappish  that  there  was  no  speaking  to  him  ; 
remembering  that  word  of  the  prophet,  "  Can 
the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard 
his  spots  ?  then  may  you,  who  are  accustomed 
to  do  evil,  learn  to  do  well."  Jer.  xiii.  23. 
Yet  he  could  not  but  take  pity  on  him,  consid- 
ering his  age  ;  therefore  he  gave  him  the  fol- 
lowing general  reply,  and  departed. 

*  Peevishness  is  a  besetting  sin  of  age.  Let  old  per- 
sons watch  and  pray  lest  they  cherish  or  even  allow  this 
sin.  Ed. 

K 


114  TRAVELS    OF 

Godli.  Father  Old- Age,  it  grieves  me  to 
find  you  thus  blind,  and  hardened  iri  your  evil 
ways  ;  and  the  rather,  because  T  see  your  ene- 
my, Death,  now  standing  with  his  sword 
drawn,  at  your  door,  ready  to  enter  in,  and 
hell  is  at  his  heels.  Alas!  death,  who  now 
shakes  his  sword  before  you,  will  soon  sheath 
it  in  your  heart.  What  will  you  do  when 
you  come  to  stand  before  God  in  judg- 
ment ?  There  is  but  a  little  airy  breathing 
between  you  and  eternal  burning;  it  is  better 
to  have  your  eyes  open  on  earth,  to  bewail  your 
sins,  than  to  have  your  eyes  open  in  hell  to  be- 
wail your  sufferings.  Though  you  will  not  let 
me  in  now,  who  would  make  you  liappy,  yet 
you  will  not  be  able  very  long  to  keep  death 
out,  who  will  make  you  eternally  miserable, 
Psal.  Ixxxix.  84.  It  is  sad  that  you  will  not  see 
your  danger,  till  you  cannot  escape  it.  As  I 
now  stand  at  your  door,  saying.  Open  to  me, 
but  am  not  let  in  ;  so  you  ere  long  will  say, 
"Lord,  Lord,  open  to  me  ;"  but  you  will  be  kept 
out,  for  none  but  those  who  receive  me  into 
their  hearts  on  earth,  will  be  received  by  Christ 
hereafter  into  heaven.  Those  who  contemn 
Godliness  here,  will  be  contemned  for  their 
ungodliness  hereafter.  Your  poor,  deluded 
goul,   who  thinks   its   state   so  good   without 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  115 

grace  and  regeneration,  will  find  it  bad  ere 
long,  under  wrath  and  condemnation  :  **  For, 
except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God."  John  iii.  3.  This 
is  the  day  of  God's  long-suffering,  but  quickly 
will  come  the  day  of  your  long-suffering ;  for 
he  whose  mercy  you  have  abused,  while  you 
live,  will  let  out  his  vengeance  against  you  to 
eternity  when  you  die.   2  Thess.  i.  8,  9. 

Much  to  the  same  purpose  he  spake  to  him, 
and  with  deep  sorrow  left  him  smking  under 
the  weicrht  of  his  sins  ! 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

True  Godliness,  after  this,  travelled  towards  the 
city  Jerusalem,  near  to  tvhich  ivas  a  small  vil- 
lage called  Religion,  in  luhich  dwelt  Mr.  Legal- 
ist, at  whose  door  he  knocked.  The  cause  why 
he  did  not  entertain  him. 

Godliness,  having  hitherto  barely  escaped 
with  his  life,  thought  it  now  time  to  leave  those 
parts  where  he  had  long  travelled  up  and 
down,  and  suffered  many  hardships,  (being 
generally  slighted  and  contemned  by  all  where 
he  came)  and  to  travel  into  some  other  coun- 
try, amongst  people  (if  he  could  find  such) 
who  were  not  so  abominably  wicked,  or  at 
least  not  such  visible  and  open  enemies  to  him; 
and  he  thought  it  desirable  to  bend  his  course 
towards  Jerusalem ;  but  before  he  entered 
Salem,  he  perceived  a  village  lying  near  the 
city,  the  name  of  which  he  understood  was 
Religion  ;  he  therefore  turned  aside  thither, 
and  being  informed  that  Mr.  Legalist  lived  at 
the  town's  end,  near  mount  Sinai,  he  resolved 
to  give  him  a  visit,  and  immediately  came  to 


TRAVELS  OP  TRUE  GODLINESS.    117 

hisdoor,where  with  great  earnestness  he  knock- 
ed.   A  voice  from  within  spake  to  this  purpose : 

Legal.  Who  is  at  my  door  ? 

Godli.  •  One  who  would  gladly  have  a  lodg- 
ing in  your  house,  for  though  a  stranger  to  you, 
I  am  your  good  friend. 

Legal.   What  is  your  name  ? 

Godli.    Sir,  my  name  is  True  Godliness. 

Legal.  I  wonder  much  you  should  say 
True  Godliness  is  a  stranger  to  me,  or  I  to  him. 
He  has  long  been  a  cherished  member  of  my 
family.    Do  be  gone,  you  must  be  an  impostor. 

Godli.  Sir,  it  is  certainly  a  mistake  ;  you 
have  been  greatly  deceived. 

Legal.  What,  do  I  not  know  Ti'ue  Godli- 
ness ?  This  is  strange  !  Sir,  I  assure  you  he 
and  I  converse  together  every  day. 

Godli.  It  is  indeed  true  that  there  are  one 
or  two  persons  who  go  sometimes  by  my 
name;  and  it  is  very  probable  you  may  be  ac- 
quainted with  one  of  them.  Pray  what  are  his 
manners  1  What  instructions  does  he  give  you  ? 
For  by  these  I  shall  know  who  your  guest  is.*' 

*  To  know  whether  your  religion  be  true  or  false,  re- 
gard its  fruit.  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns  ?  "  The 
fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering, 
gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance." 
Such  as  are  merely  striving  to  keep  the  law,  have  not 
th^se  results.  Ed. 


118  TRAVELS    OP 

Legal.  Why,  Sir,  he  teaches  me  to  keep 
the  commandments  of  God,  to  lead  a  righteous 
life,  to  do  unto  all  men  as  I  would  they  should 
do  unto  me. 

Godli.  O  1  Sir,  that  is  my  friend  and  honest 
neighbour  3Iorality,  one  that  I  sincerely  love  ; 
and  I  am  sure  it  is  great  ignorance  to  take 
him  for  me.  He  will  not  say  his  name  is  God- 
liness ;  for  though  in  some  things  we  are  alike, 
I  teaching  the  same  doctrine  you  mention,  yet 
do  we  differ  exceedingly  in  many  things. 
First,  we  agree  in  saying  you  must  keep  God's 
commands.  Secondly,  he  says  that  you  must 
be  righteous  ;  I  say  the  like.  And,  thirdly, 
that  you  should  do  unto  all  men  as  you  would 
have  them  do  to  you ;  I  say  the  very  same,  it 
being  my  Master's  own  doctrine.  But  we 
differ  prodigiously  on  other  points.  He  teach- 
es you  to  seek  justification  by  doing ;  but  I 
teach  you  to  seek  it,  by  believing  :  he  by  keep- 
ing the  law ;  1  by  God's  free  grace  through 
the  merits  of  Christ. 

Legal.  What  is  that,  friend,  you  say  1    Are 
we  not  required  to  keep  the  law  of  God  ? 

Godli.  Sir,  you  ought  to  keep  it  as  far  as 
you  are  able,  though  not  as  it  is  the  law  of 
works,  but  as  it  is  the  law  of  Christ.  You 
must  not  look  for  righteousness  and  justifica- 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  119 

tion  by  your  keeping  the  law  in  any  sense,  (it 
was  on  this  very  block  the  Jews  of  old  stum- 
bled, and  were  broken  in  pieces,)  because  you 
have  sinned,  and  daily  break  the  law-  and 
the  least  transgression  thereof  exposeth  you  to 
the  wrath  and  curse  of  God.* 

Legal.  I  know  I  cannot  perfectly  keep  the 
law,  but  I  will  do,  by  the  help  of  God,  what  I 
can.  And  wherein  I,  through  weakness,  trans- 
gress the  law,  God  is  merciful,  and  I  trust  he 
will  forgive  me, 

Godli.  Forgive  you  !  Why,  he  hath  said, 
"  He  will  in  no  wise  clear  the  guilty".  More- 
over, "What  the  law  saith,  it  saith  to  them 
that  are  under  the  law,  that  all  mouths  may  be 
stopped,  and  the  whole  world  become  guilty 
before  God."     Rom.  iii.  19. 

Legal.  What  do  you  say  1  Will  not  God 
forgive  me,  who  am  a  penitent  person  ?  Oh  ! 
what  a  horrible  doctrine  is  this  !  I  believe  he 
will  not  forgive  the  impenitent,  and  such  guilty 
ones,  that  the  Scriptures  speak  of. 

Godli.  Mistake  not,  Sir — all  are  guilty  ;  all 
have  broken  the  law  or  first  covenant;  all  are 

*  We  cannot  be  justified  by  imperfect  works,  and 
as  all  our  services  fall  short  of  the  standard,  we  can- 
not be  justified  hj  perfect  works,  so  that  by  the  deeds 
of  the  law,  no  flesh  can  be  justified.  Ed. 


120  TRAVELS    OF 

under  sin  and  wrath.  It  is  not  your  repen- 
tance that  will  do ;  God  will  not  forgive  any 
man,  except  he  believes  in  Jesus  Christ,  and 
takes  hold  of  the  merits  of  his  blood.  **  By  the 
deeds  of  the  law  no  flesh  shall  be  justified." 
God  will  not  pardon  your  sins,  notwithstand- 
ing your  repentance,  as  a  simple  act  of  his 
mercy,  unless  you  fly  to  him  through  Christ, 
who  hath  satisfied  his  justice ;  for  what  you 
say  renders  Christ's  glorious  undertaking  void 
and  unnecessary ;  and  so  casts  a  great  reflec- 
tion upon  the  wisdom  of  God,  in  sending  his 
Son  into  the  world. 

Legal.  How  do  you  make  that  appear  1 
Godli.  Do  you  not  say  you  will  do  what  you 
can  to  keep  the  law ;  and  wherein  you  trans- 
gress, God  will  through  his  mercy  forgive  you  ? 
Now,  if  God  accepts  of  your  obedience  in 
keeping  the  law,  and  forgives  all  your  devia- 
tions, as  a  simple  act  of  his  mercy,  and  that 
hereby  you  are  justified  and  accepted  by  him ; 
why  then  did  he  send  Jesus  Christ  into  the 
world,  to  die  the  cursed  death  of  the  cross  ? 
If  by  this  way  righteousness  and  salvation 
are  attainable,  it  is  evident  Christ  is  dead  in 
vain  ;  for  could  not  God  have  done  all  this  if 
Christ  had  never  come  ?    Thou  art  a  wretch- 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  121 

ed  creatuie  ;  look  to  Christ,  or  thou  art  un- 
done. 

Legal.  Nay,  Sir,  do  not  mistake  me  neith- 
er !  I  do  not  think  my  righteousness  justifies 
me  any  otherwise  than  through  the  merits  of 
Christ. 

Godli.  Sir,  you  err  exceedingly  :  it  is  not 
personal  righteousness,  even  though  accepted 
through  Christ's  merits,  that  justifies,  but  the 
merits  of  Christ  alone  received  by  faith.  Now 
you  discover  indeed  what  a  great  stranger  you 
are  to  me  :  you  are  one  of  those  just  men,  it 
seems,  who  never  went  astray,  or  righteous 
ones,  that  Christ  came  not  to  call.  Alas  !  I  al- 
ways declare  and  testify,  that  all  men  must  per- 
ish without  faith  in  Christ.  Doth  not  the  text 
positively  say,  **  He  that  belie veth  not  shall  be 
damned  ?"  Mark  xvi.  16.  **  Ke  that  hatn  tne 
Son,  hath  life  ;  and  he  that  hath  not  the  Son, 
shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abides 
upon  him."  John  iii.  36.  '*  There  is  no  oth- 
er name  given  under  heaven,  whereby  men  can 
be  saved."  Acts  iv.  12.  *'  Other  foundation 
can  no  man  lay,  than  that  which  is  laid,  which 
is  Jesus  Christ."  1  Cor.  iii.  11.  Come  let 
me  in,  and  I  will  expel  those  dark  surmisings 
and  hurtful  errors,  and  teach  you  another  kind 
L 


122  TRAVELS    OF 

of  doctrine  of  which  even  good  Mr.  BloraJity 
is  entirely  ignorant.  I  will  help  you  to  be  ho- 
ly, and  not  to  depend  upon  it;  to  be  righteous, 
but  not  to  trust  in  it.  I  will  lead  you  to  say, 
"  In  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  ;'^  and  that 
lie  is  made  of  God  *'  wisdom,  and  righteous- 
ness, and  sanctification,  and  redemption."  But 
I  forewarn  you,  if  I  come  in,  you  must  banish 
those  helpless  and  unprofitable  servants  you 
have  kept. 

Legal.  What  servants  would  you  have  me 
dismiss.* 

Godli.  Mr.  Mis-BcUef,  and  Good-Opinion^ 
and  Self-Righteousness  must  be  turned  out. 
Beside,  you  must  also  remove  your  dwelling 
farther  off  from  Mount  Sinai ;  for  look  !  see 
the  dreadful  flashes  of  lightning,  the  moun- 
tain seems  to  be  all  on  fire  :  and  hark  !  do  you 
not  hear  it  thunder  !  God  is  angry  with  you, 
Sir ;  there  is  no  seeing  his  face  but  through  a 
Mediator. 

"Scarcely  less  hurtful  than  Unbelief.  Error  in  doc- 
trine though,  by  some  lightly  regarded,  is  both  crimi- 
nal, because  of  our  abundant  means  of  knowing^  the 
truth  ;  and  pernicious,  because  our  conduct  is  always 
shaped  hy  our  creed.  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  123 

Legal  What,  must  I  turn  pleasant  compan- 
ions and  tried  servants  out  of  doors  1 

Godli.  Tiiere  is  no  help  for  it.  And  be- 
sides those  I  have  mentioned,  you  must 
cast  out  Blind-Zeal,  Ignorance  and  Legal- 
Heart,  for  these  are  dangerous  persons.  In 
their  room  place  True-Zeal,  Right-Faith, 
Bruhen-Hcart  and  Good-  Understanding.  Nay, 
Sir,  arid  let  me  tell  you,  if  you  do  not  quick- 
ly expel  these  out  of  your  tabernacle,  you 
will  be  undone,  and  perish  in  your  sins;  for 
notu'idisianding  your  great  hopes  of  heaven, 
they  will  soon  thrust  you  down  into  hell ;  for 
"publicans  and  harlots  go  into  heaven  before 
you." 

Upon  this  he  began  to  be  very  angry,  and 
gave  True  Godliness  hard  words,  calling 
him  Libertine  and  Antinomian,  characters 
that  Godliness  greatly  detests.  Moreover, 
Legalist  told  him  he  was  sure  he  whom  he 
had  already  received  into  his  house  was  True- 
Godliness,  and  'he  but  an  impostor.  Final- 
ly, in  a  great  rage  he  bid  him  begone  from  his 
door. 

Godliness  perceiving  Legalist  to  be  so 
wedded  to  his  own  opinion,  that  there  was 
no  hope  of  getting  entertainment  in  his  house. 


124    TRAVELS  OF  TRUE  GODLINESS. 

left  him,  and  travelled  a  little  farther  into 
the  town,  being  told  that  several  persons  lived 
not  far  off,  who  were  thought  to  be  sound 
Christians. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Godliness  encounters  a  Man  of  strange  Counte- 
nance, whom  it  appears  was  an  Aiitinoniian.* 

As  Godliness  passed  on  from  the  house  of 
this  self-iighteous  professor,  he  was  accosted 
by  a  haughty  looking  person,  who  seemed 
greatly  disposed  to  dispute  upon  religion. 

The  subject  of  good  works  was  soon  broach- 
ed ;  and  with  no  small  self  confidence  he  rat- 
tled over  his  threadbare  arguments. 

Godliness.  I  am  afraid  you  are  not  sound. 
Pray,  friend,  what  do  you  believe  about  justi- 
fication ? 

Antinomian.  I  believe  all  the  elect  are 
personally  and  actually  justified  from  eternity, 
and  beloved  by  the   Lord   with  a  love  of  com- 

*  An  Antinomian  is  one  who  maintains  that  the  law 
of  God  is  not  now  binding,  and  of  course  holds  good 
works  in  light  esteem.  Depending  unrighteously  on 
the  doctrine  of  election,  he  of  course  neglects,  to  a 
great  degree,  what  are  called  means  of  grace,  and  de- 
clines exhorting  sinners  to  repent  and  believe.     Ed. 


126  TRAVELS    OP 

placency,  before  they  believe,  even  as  they  are 
after  being  called  and  sanctified.* 

Goclli.  Yon  certainly  are  very  corrupt  in 
your  judgment,  and  hold  a  doctrine  Jesus 
Christ  abhors.  Besides,  you  talk  as  if  you 
understand  not  common  sense  ;  can  any  be 
actually  and  personally  justified  before  they 
actually  and  personally  exist? 

Anti.  I  believe  the  elect  were  all  actually 
justified  from  eternity. 

Godli.  What,  actually  and  personally  justi- 
fied, and  yet  actually  and  personally  condemn- 
ed, at  one  and  the  same  time  !  This  is  strange. 
Adam,  for  his  first  sin,  fell  under  wrath  and 
condemnation,  and  being  a  public  person,  all 
parlake  o^  his  corrupt  nature  ;  and  thus  are 
children  of  wrath,  as  well  as  by  their  own  ac- 
tual transgressions,  and  so  abide  until  they  are 
transplanted  out  of  that  dead  root,  and  are  im- 
planted into  Jesus  Christ,  and  partake  of  a 
vital  union  with  him,  John  iii.  18,  36.  Can 
righteousness  be  imputed,  and  sin  charged, 
upon  a  person  at  the  same  time?     Or  are  un- 

*  The  Antinomians  lose  sight  of  the  distinction  which 
should  be  made  between  the  secret  determination  of 
God  to  bring  sinners  to  repentance,  and  so  forgive  their 
sins,  and  his  actually  doing  so.  This  subject  is  here 
perspicuously  treated.  Ed. 


TRUE     GODLINESS.  127 

believers,  justified  persons  ?  To  justify  or  ac- 
quit a  sinner,  implies  he  was  before  guilty  and 
condemned  ;  and  thus  it  was  with  all  believ- 
ers, before  they  were  united  to  Christ,  as  the 
word  of  God  testifieth,  and  so  doth  the  floly 
Ghost  also,  by  conviction,  when  it  first  works 
upon  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  sinners ; 
therefore  your  notion  charges  the  Holy  Ghost 
with  being  a  liar. 

Anti.  I  tell  you  I  like  you  not,  nor  do  I  re- 
gard what  you  say.  I  am  for  free  grace  ;  God 
sees  no  sin,  nor  ever  did,  in  his  elect,  nor 
need  they  mourn  for  sin,  nor  indulge  any 
doubt ;  nay,  though  they  are  ungodly,  their 
state  is  good. 

Godli.  Ah  !  my  friend,  such  as  you  expose 
me  to  reproach.  Your  doctrine,  alas,  tends  to 
looseness  and  ungodliness.  I  hear  that  your 
preachers  never  pray  for  pardon  of  sin,  nor 
exhort  sinners  to  come  to  Christ;  and  confine 
their  preaching  to  those  whom  they  suppose 
are  the  elect ;  and  also  tolerate  ignorant  people 
to  rend  themselves  from  the  true  churches  of 
Christ,  and  will  hardly  allow  any  to  be  true 
ministers  but  themselves.  Those  of  your  com- 
munion I  see  are  like  the  church  of  Laodicea  ; 
that  is,  "  increased  in  goods,  and  have  need 
of  nothing,"  in  their  own  sight,  instead  of  be- 


128     TRAVELS  OF  TRUE  GODLINESS. 

ing,  as  Ihey  ought,  poor  in  spirit.  This  is 
manifest,  because  your  haughty  preachers  are 
so  full,  that  they  need  not  confess  their  sins, 
nor  ask  pardon  of  God. 

The  case  of  this  man  was  so  hopeless,  that 
Godliness  wou]d  not  stand  to  dispute  with  him, 
and  therefore  passed  on. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Godliness  came  to  Mr.  Formalist's  door,  who  hid 
him  very  welcome  ;  hut  he  suspecting  his  integri- 
ty, and  that  he  harboured  divers  grand  enemies 
of  his,  particularly  one  Hypocrisy,  hesitated  to 
go  in.  Hoiv  Hypocrisy  came  to  he  discovered. 
Formalist  at  last  refused  to  entertain  True 
Godliness. 

Godliness  being  informed  that  there  was 
another  professor  of  religion  living  in  this 
village,  he  thought  it  was  convenient  for  him 
to  see  whether  he  might  not  get  a  lodging 
in  his  house.  He  was  a  man  whom  all  the 
neighbourhood  said  had  a  great  love  to  True 
Godliness :  nay,  the  people  verily  thought  he 
had  for  a  long  time  taken  up  his  lodging  with 
him,  and  wondered  when  they  heard  him  ask 
for  his  house,  for  by  thai  means  they  perceiv- 
ed he  was  a  stranger  to  him.  It  was  a  consid- 
erable time  before  he  could  find  where  he  dwelt, 
for  it  appeared   he  was  sometimes  called   by 


130  TRAVELS    OF 

another  name,  viz.  Devotion.*  But  at  last^ 
passing  by  one  man's  door  and  by  anotlier,  he 
heard  a  man  at  prayer,  and  he  spake  so  loud^ 
that  all  who  walked  along  the  street  might 
hear  him :  he  then  concluded  it  was  very  pro- 
bable he  might  dwell  there  ;  and  to  his  door 
he  came  and  knocked. 

Formal.     Who's  there  ? 

Godli.    My  name  is  True  Godliness. 

Formal.  True  Godliness  !  Pray,  Sir,  come 
in  ;  there  is  none  in  all  the  world  I  love  more 
dearly ;  the  best  room  in  all  my  house  is  at 
your  service.  Pray,  where  have  you  been,  and 
what  news  do  you  hear  ?  Are  the  Imperial- 
ists and  Turks  at  peace,  and  all  things  adjust- 
ed ?  How  go  thincTs  in  the  world?  How  doth 

to  o 

it  fare  with  our  poor  protestant  brethren  in 
France  ?  What  news  from  Scotland  ?  When 
will  the  times  be  better? 

*  The  character  here  described  is  the  opposite  to  that 
last  portrayed,  and  is  of  much  more  frequent  occur- 
rence among  us.  We  shall  not  find  so  many  who 
answer  to  this  description  as  of  those  who  imitate  Le- 
galist or  Morality.  True  religion,  however,  not  only 
regards  duty,  and  the  law  which  regulates  our  daily 
intercourse  with  men,  but  Devotion  which  gives  us 
communion  with  God.  To  the  last  name  this  man 
had  no  good  title,  though  the  ignorant  gave  him  this 
appellation.  Ed.. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  131 

Many  such  questions  he  asked  and  profess- 
ed abundance  of  respect  to  True  Godliness, 
and  (as  you  heard)  bid  him  come  in  ;  but  nev- 
er offered  to  open  the  door.  Godliness  was 
grieved  to  find  him  so  full  of  words  ;  but  more 
especially,  because  he  took  up  his  time,  and 
troubled  his  mind  so  much  after  news;  nay, 
and  that  too,  when  he  should  open  to  True 
Godliness^  and  just  upon  ending  his  devotion  ; 
yet  nevertheless,  Godliness  very  mildly  answer- 
ed him  to  this  purpose  : 

Godli.  Sir,  As  to  your  first  question,  I  an- 
swer, I  have  wandered  about  from  place  to 
place,  to  seek  entertainment — I  mean,  a  fit  and 
convenient  lodging  for  a  little  time,  for  it  will 
not  be  long  ere  I  shall  have  done  travelling;* 
but  I  am  fiillen  into  such  an  evil  and  perilous 
time,  that  scarcely  any  one  will  shew  me  the 
favour  to  take  me  in,  and  make  me  welcome. 
Riches,  Povcrtij,  Youth,  and  Old  Age,  have 
all  refused  me,  and  shut  their  doors  against 
me ;  and  since  I  came  into  these  parts,  and 
particularly  to  your  town,  where  every  one 
concluded  I  should  be  most  kindly  embraced, 

*  Think  of  that  reader, — "  My  Spirit  shall  not  always 
strive  with  man."  Be  zealous  and  repent,  lest  the 
day  of  wailing  come  on  thee  unawares.  Ed. 


132  TRAVELS    OF 

the  very  first  man  I  came  to,  denied  me  en- 
tertainment ;  and  not  only  so,  but  called 
me  hard  names,  and  declared  I  was  a  vile  im- 
postor. 

Formal.  "What  man  is  that?  pray  inform 
me. 

Godli.  My  friend,  to  answer  your  question, 
the  man  is  called  Legalist. 

Formal.  O  !  Sir,  there  is  not  a  man  in  all 
this  town  more  haughty,  proud,  and  conceited 
than  he.  He  concludes,  I  warrant  you,  that  he 
hath  godliness  enough  already ;  he  makes,  in 
truth,  the  whole  of  religion  to  consist  in  prin- 
ciples of  morality.  I  have  heard  him  say  that 
if  a  man  do  but  square  his  life  as  near  as  he 
can  according  lo  the  law  of  the  ten  command- 
ments, not  being  guilty  of  gross  sins,  nor  wil- 
fully break  any  precepts  of  the  two  tables, 
he  shall  be  saved.  He  never  considers  all  the 
while  the  necessity  of  faith  and  regeneration  ; 
and  although  he  trusts  thus  to  his  own  right- 
eousness, he  is  a  very  worldly,  proud,  and 
passionate  person  ;  nay,  arid  he  himself  con- 
fesseth,  he  is  a  sinner,  and  yet  would  be  justi- 
fied by  the  law  ;  whereas  you  know  the  least 
sins,  lusts  of  the  heart,  and  evil  thoughts,  are 
a  breach  of  it ;  and  the  smallest  breach  is 
death  and  eternal  wrath,  without  a  compensa- 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  133 

tion  made  to  offended  justice ;  and  none  was 
able  to  do  this  but  Jesus  Christ ;  and  none 
have  the  blessing  of  his  undertaking,  but  such 
as  believe. 

Godli.  You  seem  to  have  a  good  under- 
standing, and  what  you  say  is  perfectly  correct ; 
but  how  comes  it  about,  you  let  me  stand 
all  this  while  at  your  door  ?  Is  this  your 
kindness  to  me  ?  What  avail  your  knowl- 
edge and  parts,  except  you  entertain  True 
Godliness  1 

Formal.  Dear  Sir,  have  I  not  opened  to  you 
already  ?  You  are  in  my  affections,  and  1  will 
further  open  to  you  ;  pray  come  in,  and  do  as 
you  please  in  my  house. 

Godli.  I  fear  you  mistake ;  you  have  open- 
ed to  me  in  one  respect,  but  not  in  another : 
you  seem  to  like  my  form y  but  not  my  poicer] 
my  external  rites,  but  not  my  internal  life. 
I  am  indeed  received  into  your  head,  but  not 
into  your  heart.  The  truth  is,  I  suspect 
you. 

Formal.  Suspect  me.  Sir  I  for  what? 

Godli.  That  you  have  one  or  two  implaca- 
ble enemies  of  mine  hid  secretly  in  your 
house. 

Formal.  Who,  I  Sir !  God  forbid  1  should 
hide  any  enemies  of   True  Godliness  !    Who 


134  TRAVELS    OF 

are  they  ?    Pray  tell  me  their  names  ?    They 
shall  be  instantly  dismissed. 

Godli.  Old- Man,  Carnal- Affections,  and 
Hypocrisy. 

Formal.  Dear  Sir,  be  not  unreasonable.  As 
it  regards  Old  Man,  no  christian  can  be  quite 
rid  of  him  ;  God  forbid  however  I  should  show 
him  any  countenance.  As  to  Carnal-Affec- 
tions, in  this  you  mistake  ;  I  have  no  such 
domestic,  my  affections  are  spiritual.  But 
why  should  you  think  I  harbour  Hypocrisy  in 
my  house  1  I  will  assure  you  there  is  none 
in  all  the  world  I  hate  more  than  that  base 
fellow,  for  I  know  God  hates  him  ;  and  shall  I 
show  countenance  to  him  1  Lord,  far  be  it 
from  me. 

Godli.  Nay,  Formalist,  be  not  too  confi- 
dent ;  it  is  not  your  bare  denial  of  it  which  is 
sufficient  to  acquit  you  of  the  suspicion  1  have 
of  you  upon  this  account.  Let  us  see  if  we 
cannot  find  him  out.  You  have  a  certain 
officer  in  your  house,  who  I  am  sure  can  make 
a  righteous  decision,  if  he  be  not  basely  cor- 
rupted and  blinded  by  your  zeal  and  love  to 
seeming  holiness.  I  know  he  will  not  flatter 
any  man,  but  speak  according  to  his  light  and 
knowledge  impartially  at  all  times.  Sir,  I  will 
appeal  to  him. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  135 

Pormal.  What  is  his  name  1 

Godli.  His  name  is  Conscience. 

Upon  this,  Conscience  was  called,  and  in- 
terrogated after  this  manner : 

Godli.  Conscience  J  I  require  you,  in  the 
fear  of  God,  to  answer  me  a  question  or  two 
concerning  your  master.  Doth  he  not  secret- 
ly lodge  and  hide  one  in  his  house,  called 
Hypocrisy  ?*  For  I  very  much  suspect  him 
herein  to  he  guilty  ;    what  do  you  say  ? 

Con.  Sir,  if  you  please  to  give  me  his 
character,  or  give  me  some  certain  signs  of 
his  behaviour  and  properties,  whereby  I  may 
know  him,  I  will  faithfully  discover  all  that  I 
understand  touching  this  matter. 

Godli.  Conscience,  I  thank  you  ;  you  speak 
like  an  honest  man,  and  indeed  I  have  always 
found  you  impartial  according  to  your  light. t 

*  Hypocrisy  is  here  intended  to  mean  self  deception 
as  well  as  the  deception  of  others  We  i<no\v  of  no 
book  wliere  the  evidences  of  grace  are  more  clearly 
described  than  here.  The  following  eight  particulars 
should  be  read  with  the  most  prayerful  earnestness. 

Ed. 

\  "  According  to  your  light." — Many  make  too 
much  of  Conscience.  It  is  by  no  means  an  infallible 
guide.  One  man  is  conscientious  in  opposing  what 
another  is  equally  conscientious  in  attempting  to  per- 


136  TRAVELS    OP 

I  will  then  give  you  such  a  description  of  this 
subtle  and  deceitful  enemy  of  mine,  that  you 
cannot  well  mistake  ;  and  this  I  shall  do  by 
propounding  a  few  questions  to  you. 

First.  Sir,  was  your  master  ever  thorough- 
ly wounded  in  the  sense  of  sin,  being  convinc- 
ed of  its  ugly  and  abominable  nature  ?  There 
is  nothing  more  hateful  to  God  than  that ;  not 
only  convinced  of  the  evil  which  attends  it,  or 
is  the  fruit  of  it,  but  that  cursed  evil  there  is  iu 
itj  being  utterly  contrary  to  the  holy  and  pure 
nature  of  God,  a  breach  of  his  law  ;  and  that 
which  hath  made  a  breach  between  God  and 
man,  defaced  the  image  of  God  in  him,  and 
is  the  cause  of  all  that  abominable  enmity  that 
is  in  his  heart  against  God,  and  me  his  blessed 
offspring;  and  also  makes  a  man  in  love  with 
the  ways  of  the  devil ;  nay,  to  be  like  the 
devil,  conformable  to  him,  and  to  do  his  will. 

form.  The  Flindoo  mother  conscientiously  gives  her 
babe  to  the  Ganges  ;  and  the  Mussleman  conscien- 
tiously opposes  Christianity,  as  did  Saul  of  Tarsus. 
It  is  the  province  of  conscience  not  to  make  duty,  but 
admonish  concerning  it :  not  to  enact  laws,  but  call 
for  obedience.  It  must  therefore  have  a  standard  : — 
that  standard  is  the  Bible  :  and  its  dictates  will  be 
true  or  false,  as  they  do  or  do  not  find  authority  there. 

Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINfiSS.  137 

Secondly.  Is  there  no  one  sin  that  secretly 
he  loves  and  lives  in  (the  evil  habit  never  be- 
ing broken)]  Have  you  not  found  him  now 
Bnd  then  telling  a  lie  for  his  advantage,  either 
lo  please  the  company  by  embellishing  his 
stories,  or  better  to  sell  his  commodities,  or 
lo  obtain  a  greater  bargain,  or  to  excuse  him- 
self from  some  duty,  or  to  screen  himself 
from  censure  ?  Is  he  not  sometimes  over- 
taken by  drunkenness  ?  Is  he  not  proud, 
minding  more  the  honour,  praise,  and  applause 
of  men,  in  what  he  doth  in  religion,  than  the 
praise  of  God  ?  Is  he  not  covetous?  Does 
he  give  according  to  his  ability  to  the  poor  ? 
Does  he  not  rob  God  to  serve  the  world  ?  I 
mean,  neglect  hearing  God's  word,  and  other 
indispensable  duties,  for  worldly  profit,  and  so 
prefer  the  world  above  the  word  1  Is  not  the 
world  more  in  his  love  and  affections  than 
God  and  Jesus  Christ?  Does  he  always  give 
just  weight  and  measure,  and  not  take  un- 
lawful profit  ?  Does  he  not  make  gain  of  Godli' 
jiess,  and  use  religion  as  a  cloak  to  cover  his 
secret  sin  ?  Does  he  concern  himself  for  the 
interest  of  the  gospel,  and,  by  his  open-heart- 
edness,  shew  upon  that  account,  he  loves  Christ 
above  son  or  daughter  1  Is  he  resolved  to  part 
with  all,  rather  than  to  sin  against  God,  and  lo 
M 


138  TRAVELS    OF 

offend  you  his  Conscience  7  Does  he  see  more 
evil  in  the  least  sin  than  in  the  greatest  suf- 
fering ? 

Thirdly.  Does  he  desire  as  much  to  have 
his  sins  mortified  as  pardoned  ;  to  be  made 
holy  here,  as  well  as  happy  hereafter  1  Is  he 
as  much  in  love  with  the  work  of  holiness  as 
with  the  wages  of  holiness  ?  Does  he  love  the 
word  of  God  because  of  the  purity  of  it  ?  Is  he 
willing  to  bear  the  cross  as  well  as  wear  the 
crown  ;  to  be  with  Christ  in  his  temptations 
here,  as  well  with  Christ  in  his  exaltations 
hereafter  ?  To  live  to  God  on  earth,  as  well 
as  to  live  with  God  in  heaven  1 

Fourthly.  Is  he  the  same  in  private  as  in 
public  ?  Does  he  not  rest  satisfied  upon  the 
bare  performance  of  duty,  not  minding  whether 
he  hath  met  with  God  or  not  ?  Does  he  pray 
in  private  as  if  men  saw  him;  and  in  public, 
as  knowing  God  sees  him  ?  Does  not  his  satis- 
faction more  lie  in  his  asking  of  God,  than  in 
his  receiving  from  God  1  Does  he  not  seek 
more  for  suitable  vfords  in  prayer,  than  for  a 
suitable  heart  ?  Does  he  not  study  more  for 
acute  expressions  to  affect  the  hearts  of  others, 
than  to  meet  with  powerful  impressions  upon 
his  own?  Does  he  not  lengthen  his  prayers 
before   others,  and  hurry  them  over  in  pri- 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  139 

vate?  Does  he  as  much  seek  after  what  he 
needs  from  God,  as  that  which  he  needs  of  the 
world  ? 

Fifthly.  Can  he  bear  reproofs  kindly  for 
his  faults,  and  take  them  patiently  ;  nay,  and 
esteem  him  his  greatest  friend,  vvho  deals  mosf 
candidly  with  him  ?  Is  he  ready  to  take  shame 
to  himself,  and  give  glory  to  God?  Can  he  be 
contented  in  the  way  of  well  doing,  though  he 
meet  with  little  sensible  comfort  from  God,  or 
outward  respect  from  saints  1 

Sixthly.  Does  he  as  much  desire  to  have 
his  heart  filled  with  grace,  as  his  head  with 
knowledge  ?  Does  he  take  as  much  care 
to  make  the  glory  of  God  his  end,  as  the 
command  of  God  his  ground,  in  what  he 
does? 

Seventhly.  Is  he  not  more  severe  in  press- 
ing the  smaller  concerns  of  religion,  than  in 
urging  the  greater?  Does  he  not  require 
those  duties  of  others,  which  he  himself  is 
loth  to  practise?  Is  he  not  more  curious 
to  know  other  men's  conditions  than  his  own  ? 

Eighthly.  Has  he  received  a  whole  Christ 
with  a  whole  heart?  1.  A  whole  Christ  com- 
prehends all  his  offices.  Has  he  received 
Christ,  not  only  as  a  priest  to  die  for  him,  but 


140 


TRAVELS    OP 


Jilso  as  a  prince  to  rule  over  hini  ?  Does  he 
obey  all  God's  precepts,  as  well  as  believe  all 
God's  promises  ?  2.  A  whole  heart  compre- 
heads  all  the  faculties  and  feelings.  The  u-n- 
derstanding  may  be  soniewhat  enlightened,. but 
the  affections  may  be  carnal,  and  the  will 
averse  to  True  Godliness.  Is  his  heart  divid- 
ed] Come,  Conseience,  I  command  you,  in  the 
presence  of  the  great  and  dreadful  God,  who 
searches  all  hearts,  to  make  a  righteous  deci- 
sion ;  tell  me  plainly,  is  my  enemy  Hi/pocrisy 
here  or  not  ?  By  these  hints  you  may  easily 
know  him. 

Consc.  Sir,  I  must  confess  Hypocrisy  is. 
here;  now  1  have  found  him  out:,  nay,  Sir,, 
and  ho  hath  hid  himself  in  my  Master's  house 
ever  since  he  came  to  live  in  this  town  of  ^e- 
ligion^  His  greatest  care  has  been  to  keep 
his  name  from  being  reproached  by  men,,  and 
he  caniiot  bear  reproof,  because  it  assures  him 
that  men  discover  and  dislike  his  faults. 
Should  I  tell  you  af  those  lusts  which  he  har- 
bours, and  what  favour  he  shews  to  that  old 
man  (you  mentioned  before,)  I  should  quite 
shame  him.  He  prays,  hears  and  reads,  but 
I  often  found  liira  very  weary  of  these  daties. 
Nay,  Sir,  he  would  seldom  pray  at  all,  were  it 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  141 

not  to  quiet  me ;  besides,  he  performs  them 
with  a  sad,  cold,  dead, carnal, and  lifeless  spirit. 
He  cares  much  for  the  small  things  of  religion, 
but  neglects  the  more  weighty  ;  nay,  there  is 
one  thing  more  I  will  state  ;  as  he  does  not 
love  strict  Godliness  himself,  so  his  heart  is 
ready  to  rise  against  such  who  outdo  him.  Sir, 
I  plainly  perceive,  he  is  a  mere  dissembler, 
yet  he  would  be  thought  as  religious  a  man  as 
any  in  the  town.  1  see  him  much  abroad,  find- 
ing faults  in  others,  or  espying  the  mote  that  is 
in  his  brother's  eye,  but  he  never  perceives  the 
beam  that  is  in  his  own  ;  nay,  and  he  is  ready 
to  fall  out  with  many  good  Christians,  because 
they  will  not  follow  him  in  habit,  mode,  and 
gesture,  &,c.  In  a  word,  most  of  those  black 
marks  of  Hypocrisy ^  at  which  you  hinted,  I 
find  in  him. 

Godli.  Say  no  more  ;  I  see  I  was  not  mis- 
taken. Now,  Formalist ^\\ow  can  you  pretend 
kindness  to  me,  and  thus  secretly  entertain 
one  of  my  worst  enemies?  Sir,  it  is  you  who 
has  brought  so  great  a  reproach  upon  this  poor 
town  Religion,  and  on  all  its  inhabitants  ;  nay, 
and  it  is  through  your  means  I  am  so  vilified 
and  condemned  by  Ignorance,  for  he  is  ready 
to   conclude,  that  all  my  friends  and  true  fa^ 


142  TRAVELS    OF 

vourites  are  such  as  yourself,  viz.  mere  loose 
anil  formal  hypocrites.  Oh  !  you  are  like  to 
be  undone  and  perish  forever,  unless  you  soon 
turn  this  enemy  of  mine  out  of  doors  ;  for  I 
expect  no  other  result  but  that  you  will  in  a 
little  time  fall  into  apostacy.  But  should  you 
die  first,  yet  assure  yourself  you  will  be  lost  ; 
for  hell  is  prepared  for  such  as  you  are.  You 
are  in  the  worst  condition  of  all  men  ;  for  the 
wicked  hate  you,  because  yon  pretend  so  much 
love  to  Religion  and  Godliness ;  God,  also,  be- 
cause you  have  no  real,  only  pretended  love  to 
them,  being  not  sincere  and  upright  in  your 
profession. 

Formalist  at  this  began  to  be  very  angry, 
being  greatly  offended  at  True  Godliness  ;  for 
he  could  not  endure  to  see  his  condition  de- 
picted in  this  manner,  nor  to  hear  of  his  present 
or  future  misery,  being  persuaded  by  Mr.  Pain- 
Hope,  Unbelief,  and  Good  Opinion,  to  think 
his  condition  might  be  safe  enough.  How- 
ever,  Vain-Hope  told  him,  though  at  present 
his  state  might  be  doubtful,  yet  he  should  have 
many  days  on  earth,  and  that  he  might  re- 
pent, and  set  all  things  right  before  he  died  ; 
whose  word  and  promise  he  adventured  to 
lake,  and  so  bade   True  Godliness  adieu ;  and 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  143 

no  man's  state  in  all  his  travels  did  he  indeed 
more  lament  than  that  of  blinded,  hopeless 
Formalist,* 

*  That  many  unsound  professors  exist  in  the  church 
on  earth  is  beyond  doubt.  See  the  parables  of  the 
Sower — of  the  Tares — of  the  Ten  Virgins,  &c.  How 
dreadful  is  such  a  condition.  How  should  we  prove 
our  works,  and  watch  unto  prayer. 

Ed. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Godliness,  travelling  farther  into  the  town  called 
Religion,  saio  many  people  ivho  had  been  great 
professors,  retiring  from  the  town  as  fast  as 
they  could.  In  the  discourse  he  had  with  one  of 
them,  the  nature  and  danger  of  Apostacy  is 
described. 

Godliness  now  reluctantly  left  FormalisVs 
door  ;  but  he  had  no  sooner  gone  a  little  farther 
into  the  town  of  Religion,  than  he  espied  a 
great  number  of  people  apparently  moving  out 
of  the  place,  lie  observed  some  of  them  ran, 
though  others  went  slowly.  At  first  he  wonder- 
ed what  occasioned  this  commotion,  because 
the  town  had  been  generally  supposed  to  be 
as  safe  and  honourable  a  place  to  dwell  in,  as 
any  in  all  the  country,  and  had  as  great  and 
glorious  privileges  belonging  to  it.  Upon  in- 
quiry he  was  told,  there  was  a  number  of  lions, 
ravening  wolves,  and  other  evil  beasts  which 


TRAVELS  OP  TRUE  GODLINESS,    145 

liad  for  a  long  time  been  shut  up  in  their 
dens,  getting  out ;  and,  having  a  great  while 
been  kept  without  prey,  they  were  afraid  they 
should  be  torn  in  pieces. 

True  Godliness  at  this  seemed  so  deeply 
concerned,  that  he  could  not  let  them  pass 
without  speaking  to  them  ;  and  observing  that 
one  of  them  looked  like  a  sober  man,  though  he 
hung  down  his  head  as  if  he  were  ashamed,  re- 
solved to  have  a  little  discourse  with  him.  To 
him  he  thus  addressed  himself. 

Godli.  Sir,  What  is  the  reason  you  leave 
this  town  ?  When  you  first  took  up  your 
dwelling  here,  did  you  not  intend  to  abide  in 
it  as  long  as  you  lived  ? 

Apostate — For  that  it  seems  was  his  name — 
Truly,  Sir,  I  did  intend  it ;  I  had  a  great  love 
for  this  poor  town,  but  I  must  now  remove  out, 
and  be  gone. 

Godli.  Why  must  you  1  Is  there  a  necessity 
laid  upon  you  to  quit  this  place,  this  honour- 
able town  of  Rdigion  ? 

Apost.  Sir,  I  shall  be  destroyed  else,  for 
the  walls  of  late  are  gone  much  to  decay.  I 
do  not  see  that  safety  in  residing  here  that  I 
did  formerly.  Besides,  they  say  there  are  a 
great  number  of  lions,  wolves,  and  other 
N 


146  TRAVELS    OF 

feasts  of  prey,  breaking  out  upon  us,  and  I 
am  afraid,  if  I  should  escape  with  my  life, 
yet  having  a  few  sheep  and  lambs,  they  will 
devour  them.  Truly,  Sir,  I  do  it  to  save 
what  I  have ;  yet  I  wish  very  well  to  the 
place. 

Godli.  I  am  sorry  that  you  indulge  such 
fears ;  let  me  persuade  you  to  return,  and 
rest  in  this  town.  Sir,  do  not  fear  those  lions ; 
for  God  hath  said,  **He  will  break  the  teeth 
of  the  lions,  the  old  lion,  and  the  lion's  whelps." 
Job  iv.  10.  But  what  though  they  should  de- 
stroy your  substance,  is  not  your  soul  worth 
more  than  all  the  world  ?  Matt.  xxvi.  26. 
Come,  go  back  again  with  me ;  and  if  you  will 
allow  me  a  residence  in  ycur  house  I  will 
dwell  with  you,  and  be  a  sure  defence  to  you, 
so  that  you  will  not  be  hurt,  let  lions,  wolves, 
and  devils  too,  do  what  they  can.  My  name 
is  True  Godliness.  Sir,  I  have  saved  many 
thousands  from  ruin  in  as  great  danger  as  you 
can  be. 

Apost.  Sir,  there  will  be  no  safe  living  for 
me.  I  must  quit  the  place,  the  town  is  be- 
sieged. 

Godli.  What  though  it  is  besieged,  God  is 
able  to  defend  it,  and  will  be  a  wall  of  fire 
about  it.     But,  Sir,  if  you  proceed,  I  fear  there 


TRUE    GODLINESS. 


147 


will  be  no  end  to  your  wanderings.  You  must 
go  far  indeed  to  find  a  place  as  safe  as  the 
city  you  are  leaving. 

Apost.  Sir,  do  not  mistake  me  ;  I  do  not 
intend  to  go  far,*  and  am  fully  determined 
to  return  again  when  the  danger  is  over ; 
at  present  I  will  go  but  a  little  way  out  of 
town. 

GodlL  Sir,  you  will  show  yourself  to  be  a 
traitorous  and  hypocritical  person,  if  you  leave 
this  town  in  its  distress.  If  the  danger  be  great 
which  attends  it,  you  had  the  more  need  to 
abide  in  it,  to  strengthen  and  encourage  the 
poor  inhabitants.  Pray  do  not  show  so  base 
and  cowardly  a  spirit.  What  is  this  less  than 
to  betray  the  town  to  enemies?  Is  not  the 
strength  of  any  place  the  people  1  Besides, 
your  flying  encourages  the  adversaries  ;  for  by 
this  means  they  may  think  to  frighten  all  out, 

*How  many  have  gone  all  lengths  in  iniquity,  who 
at  first  intended  only  lo  indulge  themselves  a  little. 
As  total  apostacy  is  a  horrid  thing  from  which  all  would 
revolt,  Satan  never  suggests  it,  but  only  proposes  to 
avoid  certain  dangers,  such  as  ridicule,  or  loss  of  trade, 
&c.  But  if  we  deliberately  abandon  religion,  in  any 
degree,  we  grieve  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  expose  our- 
selves to  be  abandoned  to  our  own  heart's  lusts. 

Ei. 


148  TRAVELS    OP 

and  then  with  much  ease  take  the  town,  and 
utterly  destroy  it.  Beside,  you  weaken  the 
hands,  and  grieve  the  hearts,  of  all  true  Chris- 
tians, whose  chief  treasure  lies  in  the  town, 
and  cannot  be  removed ;  and  it  being  also 
their  spiritual  native  place,  they  resolve  to 
abide  in  it  to  the  last,  let  what  will  come.  You 
say  you  intend  to  return  again  when  the  dan- 
ger is  over.  What  dangers  you  see  above 
others,  to  move  you  to  quit  the  town,  I  know 
not;  but  let  me  tell  you,  few  who  leave  from 
fear  of  human  loss  or  danger,  return  again. 
You  say  you  intend  to  go  but  a  little  way  ; 
alas !  you  cannot  tell  where  you  shall  stop. 
When  once  you  desert  God's  gracious  protec- 
tion, you  may  go  on  to  atheism,  or  any  thing. 
Come,  go  back  ;  let  me  save  you  from  a  fatal 
fall. 

Ajpost.  Sir,  1  retain  the  same  principles  that 
I  formerly  held,  and  my  love  is  the  same  to  the 
town  as  it  ever  was. 

GodlL  Poor  man  !  You  own  the  principles 
of  True  Religion,  and  yet  cleave  to  vanity  and 
sin.  The  three  worthies  of  old,  by  your  doc- 
trine, might  have  retained  faith  and  right 
principles  of  the  true  God  in  their  hearts,  and 
yet  have  bowed  down  to  the  golden  image, 
and  so  needed  not  to  have  exposed  themselves 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  149 

to  the  fiery  furnace.  Nay,  by  this  doctrine, 
who  need  suffer  persecution  ?  Besides,  it 
renders  all  the  martyrs  of  old,  mere  fools 
and  madmen.  What  do  you  say  ?  Will 
you  return  ?  My  company  and  assurances, 
it  may  be  hoped,  will  allure  you. 

Apost.  No,  Sir,  I  have  formerly  had  your 
company,  and  do  not  find  you  a  necessary 
companion  :  besides,  the  town  is  sadly  divided  ; 
those  who  love  you  do  not  agree. 

Goclli.  Dear  Sir,  what  though  the  town  is 
divided?  It  is  my  great  grief  to  see  it;  but 
you  had  the  more  need  to  abide  in  it,  to  do 
what  you  can  to  persuade  the  divided  inhabit- 
ants to  unite  in  affection.*  Come,  humble 
yourself  before  God  for  this  great  sin,  and  let 
us  dwell  together  now,  and  thou  shalt  abide 
secure^  notwithstanding  the  divisions  with- 
in, and  the  troubles  without,  and  have 
sweet  peace  and  inw^d  joy.  What  dost  thou 
say  ? 

Apost.  Please  say  no  more.  I  am  resolved 
to  be  gone. 

*  Many  will  not  join  a  church  because  it  is  in  a  low 
and  divided  condition.  Such  should  the  rather  come, 
that  they  may  aid  in  securing  peace  and  prosperity. 
We  are  not  to  look  for  comfort  on  earth  so  much  as 
utility.  Ed. 


150  TRAVELS    OP 

Godli.  Well,  since  1  see  I  cannot  persuade 
you  to  return,  but  that  you  are  resolved  to 
leave  Religion,  and  not  receive  True  Godli- 
ness, I  will  tell  you  what  your  present  state 
is,  and  what  your  future  portion  is  like  to  be. 

Apost.  Pray,  Sir,  do  not  detain  me  ;  I  must 
pass  on. 

Godli.  I  cannot  let  you  go  till  I  show  you 
plainly  your  condition  and  prospects.  Let  me 
solemnly  warn  you  of  several  deeply  interest- 
ing things. 

First,  It  appears,  as  I  hinted  before,  that 
you  have  apostatized  from  Christ. 

Secondly,  You  are,  it  is  to  be  feared,  for- 
saken of  God,  and  left  to  yourself. 

Thirdly,  Either  God  will  set  Conscience 
against  you,  to  torment  you,  (as  he  did  upon 
Francis  Spira*)  or  else  wholly  give  you  up  to 
your  own  heart's  lusts,  to  walk  in  your  own 
counsel. 

*  Francis  Spira  was  an  eminent  lawyer  at  Venice  in 
the  iCth  century.  Having  imbibed  the  principles  of 
the  Reforniation,  he  became  the  victim  of  persecution 
by  the  Romish  church.  To  save  his  life  he  made  a 
public  recantation  of  his  opinions.  Remorse  imme- 
diately siezed  upon  his  mind,  and  awful  and  continual 
agonies  of  soul  wore  down  his  health.  He  died  in  great 
horror  and  despair,  A.  D,  1548.  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  151 

Fourthly,  Your  sin  tends  toward  the  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  shall  never  be 
forgiven,  neither  in  this  world,  nor  in  that 
which  is  to  come  ;  for  you  have  been  a  person 
much  enlightened,  and  now  wilfidly  cast  off 
God  and  religion.  Pray  read  these  scriptures, 
Heb.  vi.  4,  5,  6,  "  For  it  is  impossible  for 
those  who  were  once  enlightened,  and  have 
tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were  made 
partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted 
the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the 
world  to  come,  if  they  shall  fall  away,  to  re- 
new them  again  unto  repentance;  seeing  they 
crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh, 
and  put  him  to  an  open  shame."  Heb.  x. 
26 — 2S:  *'Forif  we  sin  wilfully  after  that 
we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  but 
a  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment,  and 
fiery  indignation  which  shall  devour  the  ad- 
versaries. He  that  despised  Moses'  law,  died 
without  mercy,  under  two  or  three  witnesses." 

Fifthly,  Jesus  Christ  will  be  ashamed  of 
you  at  the  last  day,  when  he  comes  in  the 
glory  of  the  Father,  with  all  his  Holy  Angels. 
Mark  viii.  38. 

Sixthly,  Those  who  set  their  hands  to  the 
plough,  and  look  back,  are  not  fit  for  the  king 


152  TRAVELS    OP 

dom  of  heaven,  Luke  ix.  62  :  nor  will  God's 
soul  take  pleasure  in  them. 

Seventhly,  You  are  like  to  have  the  most 
miserable  place  in  hell.  "  The  same  shall 
drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which 
is  poured  out  without  mixture  into  the  cup  of 
his  indignation ;  and  he  shall  be  tormented 
with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  presence  of  the 
holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb." 
Rev.  xiv.  10. 

Eighthly,  Remember  the  fearful  end  of  such 
persons  as  you  are,  and  what  dreadful  judg- 
ments God  hath  many  times  brought  upon  them. 
Besides,  who  will  trust  you  ?  For  they  that 
are  false  to  God,  and  to  their  own  soul,  will 
never  be  faithful  to  men.  Come,  that  very 
way  you  think  to  save  all,  you  may  lose  all. 
Besides,  let  me  tell  you,  ''Light  is  sown  for 
the  righteous,  (though  it  is  a  dark  time  now) 
and  joy  for  the  upright  in  heart."  Nay,  this 
precious  seed  is  sown,  as  I  could  show  yoUj, 
in  this  present  dispensation ;  but  I  am  in  haste. 
What  do  you  say  to  these  things  ?  Will  you 
return  1 

Apost.  I  dare  not.  Sir,  at  present. 

Godli.  Well  then,  I  see  you  love  the  world 
above  Christ.  I  have  but  little  more  to  say 
to  you ;   but,  Sir,  what  man  in  his  right  mind 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  153 

would,  to  avoid  a  few  sparks,  leap  into  the 
fire  ?  or  to  save  his  hat,  would  lose  his  head  ? 
Alas  !  whilst  you  seek  to  save  your  estates, 
you  are  likely  eternally  to  lose  your  soul.* 

Apost.  Well,  Sir,  trouble  not  yourself; 
farewell. 

Godli.  Adieu,  then,  poor  soul  ! 

*  Reader,  are  you  wandering  away  from  God  ?  Have 
you  left  your  first  love,  and  relinquished  that  good  pro- 
fession made  before  many  witnesses  ?  O  consider  the 
affecting  but  just  view  here  taken  of  the  condition  of  the 
Apostate.  Turn  to  the  texts  quoted — pray  over  them, 
and  may  you  be  brought  back  weeping,  and  bitterly 
repenting  of  sin.  Ed^ 


CHAPTER    XII. 

Godliness,  coming  to  Thoughiful's  house,  found 
there  his  friend  Consideration,  ivhom  he  had  a 
long  time  sought  for.  The  great  opposition 
Consideration  met  ivith. 

Godliness  now  finding  it  was  in  vain  to 
gain  admittance  any  where,  unless  the  house 
were  under  the  influence  of  Serious  Consider- 
ation, knocked  at  a  man's  door  who  was  but 
just  now  come  to  dwell  in  the  town  Religion. 
It  encouraged  him  to  learn  that  while  so  many 
were  leaving  the  place,  this  man  sought  it  for 
a  habitation. 

Now,  this  person  formerly  had  been  a  very 
great  enemy  to  True  Godliness,  having  lived 
a  loose  and  profuse  life  ;  and  wasted  his  chief 
substance,  though  he  had  not  really  come  to 
poverty,  but  seemed  to  be  in  middling  circum- 
stances. Godliness  had  not  long  knocked  at 
his  door,  before  he  listened  to  him,  and  spake 
within  himself  to  this  purpose  :  Who  is  this  ? 
Surely,  said  he,   this  is  a  voice  different  from 


TRAVELS  OF  TRUE  GODLINESS.     155 

any  I  have  ever  heard  in  my  life  ;  and  he  doth 
not  knock  as  others  used  to  do.  At  last  he 
cried  out,  Who  is  there?  Who  is  it  that  is  at 
my  door  .? 

Godli.  Soul,  Christ  is  at  the  door,  and  1,  his 
noble  and  renowned  offspring,  True  Godliness. 
Dost  thou  not  remember  that  word,  "  Behold  1 
stand  at  the  door  and  knock  ?"  &c.  Rev.  iii. 
20.  Sir,  now  I  will  ask  you  the  like  question  ; 
Pray  what  is  your  name  1  I  hope  I  am  come 
to  the  right  door. 

lie  answered,  I  might  very  well  be  called 
Prodigal — for  I  have  hitherto  lived  a  very 
thoughtless  and  wicked  life  ;  but  some  call  me 
of  late  Thoughtful,  because,  blessed  be  God,  I 
am  newly  come  to  myself,  and  am  constantly 
thinking  upon  my  latter  end,  and  the  evil  of 
my  former  ways. 

Godli.  But  why  dost  thou  choose  to  take 
up  thy  dwelling  in  this  village  now,  when  so 
many  are  going  out? 

Thought.  Because  I  hear  it  is  the  best  town 
in  the  country  to  secure  a  man  from  danger  in 
evil  times,  provided  he  can  but  get  a  place  in 
one  of  its  strong  holds  in  the  heart  of  the 
town  ;  for  I  have  heard  there  is  no  safe  dwell- 
ing at  the  town's  end  ;    no,  nor  any  where  in 


156  TRAVELS    OP 

the  suburbs.*  Besides,  I  was  told  lately,  that 
the  city  where  I  have  dwelt  till  now  of  late, 
will  suddenly  be  destroyed.  I  do  it  indeed  to 
save  my  own  soul.  I  am,  Sir,  desirous  to  find 
out,  if  it  may  be,  where  true  peace,  happiness 
and  eternal  felicity,  are  to  be  had  ;  for  I  see 
they  are  not  to  be  found  in  those  paths  in 
which  f  formerly  walked;  I  mean,  in  the 
ways  of  Riches^  Honour,  and  the  Pleasures 
of  this  world. 

Godli.  I  commend  thee,  honest  Thought- 
ful; thou  hast  done  wisely,  and  like  a  consid- 
erate man.  Prithee,  let  me  come  in  and  dwell 
with  thee,  and  thou  wilt  find  this  poor  town 
the  safest  and  most  secure  place  in  these  dan- 
gerous times,  in  all  the  world.  Sir,  I  have 
wandered  about  a  long  time,  travelling  from 
place  to  place,  to  seek  for  one  to  whom  I  bear 
much  good  will,  but  hitherto  I  have  not  found 
him  ;  his  name  is  Consideration. 

Upon  this  Consider ation,\  who  it  seems  was 

*  We  must  be  hearty  in  religion;  to  get  into  the 
neighbourhood,  the  suburbs  of  piety,  as  it  were,  will 
do  us  no  good.     Reformation  is  not  regeneration. 

Ed. 
t  One  of  the  first  indications  of  grace  in  the  heart,  is, 
that  the  sinner  begins  to  consider  his  ways.     The  pro- 
cess of  this  consideration  is  here  well  described. 

Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  157 

indeed  within,  whispered  Thoughtful  in  his  ear, 
and  said.  This  is  he  that  can  alone  make  thee 
happy,  if  he  be  readily,  sincerely,  and  heartily 
embraced  and  entertained.  I  can  soon  shew 
you  that  there  are  many  and  forcible  rea- 
sons for  admitting  this  visiter,  and  cherishing 
him  as  thy  welcome  guest  ever  henceforth. 
Meditate  upon  the  worth  and  excellent  nature 
of  thy  soul.  Thou  art  made  a  man,  and  there- 
fore for  a  nobler  and  higher  end  and  employ- 
ment, surely,  than  eating  and  drinking,  sleep- 
ing and  praying,  trade  and  secular  affairs,  and 
to  enjoy  sensual  pleasures.  This  glorious  soul 
which  lies  in  thy  bosom,  is  capable  of  know- 
ing God,  and  of  enjoying  union  and  commu- 
nion with  him  forever;  and  all  those  who  suf- 
fer the  honours,  profits,  and  pleasures  of  the 
world  to  take  up  and  engross  their  hearts,  go 
astray,  and  err  from  the  great  end  of  their  cre- 
ation. Alas  !  nothing  can  fill  the  desires  of 
thy  soul,  but  God  himself.  Thou  hast  hitherto 
suffered  thy  affections  and  desires  to  run  after 
whatsoever  thou  couldst  think  might  yield 
thee  felicity  ;  but  it  is  evident  there  is  noth- 
ing thou  canst  find  here  below,  that  can  satis- 
fy thy  thirsty  and  ever  craving  soul. 

Riches,  which  sometimes   thy    heart   hath 
been  so  much  set   upon,  cannot  be   thy  chief 


158  TRAVELS    OP 

happiness;  for  they  are  uncertain,  fleeting, 
and  variable  :  and  let  a  man  have  ever  so 
much  of  them,  yet  if  they  are  his  chief  delight> 
he  is  still  craving  and  desiring  more  ;  so  that  it 
is  as  Solomon  says,  **  He  that  desireth  silver, 
shall  not  be  satisfied  with  silver." 

Honours  are  of  like  nature ;  and  besides 
their  vanity,  they  depend  on  the  minds,  will, 
and  humours  of  men,  who  are  changeable  and 
inconstant. 

Pleasures  and  voluptuousness  are  common 
to  beasts  as  well  as  men,  and,  what  is  worse, 
man  has  this  additional  disadvantage,  that  he 
endures  remorse  and  discontent  when  the  en- 
joyment is  past. 

iiesides  all  this,  Consideration,  to  induce 
him  to  open  to  True  Godliness,  bid  him  ask 
his  soul  in  what  state  it  now  was,  what  it  was 
doing,  and  whether  it  was  going. 

First,  He  endeavoured  to  shov,"  him.  that  his 
soul  was  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  in  the 
bond  of  iniquity,  being  under  the  law  and  curse 
of  God,  both  in  respect  of  original  and  actual 
sin  ;  he  having  not  yet  closed  with  Christ,  nor 
received  True  Godliness. 

Secondly,  Then  as  to  what  he  was  doing,  he 
bid  him  see  if  he  did  not  neglect  that  one  thing 
ueedful.     Have  you,  said  Consideration,  made 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  159 

religion  your  chief  business  since  you  came  to 
live  in  this  place  ?  Have  you  not  rather  spent 
too  much  of  your  time  about  notions  and  spec- 
ulations 1* 

Thirdly,  Whither  are  you  going  ?  Are  you 
fit  to  die  ?  Are  you  going  the  vi^ay  to  heaven  1 
Surely  that  cannot  be,  unless  you  receive 
T7'Jie  Godliness ;  for  I  have  heard  that  he  con- 
sists in  a  right  faith,  as  well  as  in  a  holy  life. 
Oh  !  what  cost,  labour,  pains,  means,  motives, 
and  arguments,  hath  God  used  to  make  men 
sensible  of  the  everlasting  interests  of  their 
souls,  audio  engage  them  to  a  serious  prepara- 
tion for  another  world  ! 

/  And  this  serious  preparation  must  necessa- 
rily be  a  thorough  work  of  regeneration, 
humble  faith,  and  a  spotless  conversation ; 
for  the  nature  of  the  means  must  ever  be 
suitable  and  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  the 
end.  Heaven  being  a  holy  place,  nothing 
but  perfect  holiness  reigneth  there;  so  it 
were  impossible  to  enter  into  it  hereafter, 
without  progress  be  made  in  holiness  here. 
And  how  can  it  be  thought  that  a  man  should 

*Many  who  begin  in  earnest  to  seek  religion, 
devote  too  much  time  and  pains  to  abstruse  points 
in  divinity.  Such  should  remember  "One  thing  ia 
needful."  Ed, 


160  TRAVELS    OP 

reach  the  highest  step  of  a  ladder  without 
ascending  the  lowermost  first  1  Who  (said  he) 
ever  hoped  for  a  crop  of  corn  without  sowing 
any,  or  expected  to  reap  wheat,  and  sowed 
nothing  but  tares'? 

Besides  these,  Consideration  dwelt  much 
ou  the  nature  and  holiness  of  God,  his  in- 
finite hatred  of  sin,  and  great  severity  against 
all  unbelieving  and  impenitent  souls,  together 
with  the  perfect  knowledge  he  had  of  the 
heart,  thoughts,  and  ways  of  the  children  of 
men.  He  endeavoured  also  to  set  in  array 
the  dreadful  judgments,  the  commands,  the 
threats,  and  the  precious  promises  of  Je- 
hovah.* 

He  also  brought  to  his  mind  the  evil  of  sin, 
showing  him  what  an  abominable  thing  it  was 
for  a  man  to  seek  to  please,  obey,  and  do  the 
will  of  the  devil ;  and  offend,  disobey,  and 
cross  the  will  of  God.  He  spoke  also  of  the 
excellency  of  True  Godliness,  and  what  he 
should    gain    by   embracing  him,  and  letting 

*  Reader  !  if  thou  art  an  impenitent  sinner,  turn 
back  and  read  again  these  suggestions  of  Considera- 
tion. Yea,  read  them  again  and  again ;  and  begin 
yourself  to  consider  whether  there  are  not  reasons 
enough  why  you  should  this  instant  fall  upon  your 
knees  and  pray  God  to  open  your  eyes  to  your  true 
condition  and  danger.  JEd. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  161 

Christ,  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  Christ  and 
theGrace  of  Christ, Christ  and  True  Godlineas, 
reign  in  his  heart.  Nay,  he  had  so  much  to 
say,  that  Thoughtful  was  persuaded,  and  was 
on  the  point  of  opening  the  door  to  T/ue  God- 
liness. But  on  a  sudden,  there  was  a  great 
disturbance  in  the  house,  by  several  fellows  who 
made  a  violent  uproar.  Poor  Consideration  was 
rudely  and  suddenly  assailed  in  endeavour- 
ing to  defend  himself,  was  quite  put  down, 
and  came  near  being  utterly  driven  out  ot  the 
house. 

It  was  soon  apparent  that  those  who  made 
all  this  disturbance  were  some  old  servants, 
who,  not  havmg  been  often  called  into  action 
of  late,  had  grown  apprehensive  of  losing  their 
places,  and  justly  feared  that  the  actual  ad- 
mission of  True  Godliness  would  now  drive 
them  all  away.  Their  names  were  Difficulty, 
Sloth,  Deficiency,  Security,  Danger,  World- 
ly Cares,  and  Carnal  Company.  These  and 
other  wicked  servants  therefore  combined  to 
obstruct  this  great  and  important  business  of 
opening  to  True  Godliness. 

First,  Difficulty   spake  after  this  manner : 
Sir,  do  not  trouble   yourself  to  study  to  find 
out  these  great  mysteries  of  Religion,  for  it  i» 
O 


162  TRAVELS    OP 

a  work  too  difficult  for  you  to  understand : 
there  is  nothing  more  mysterious;  therefore  to 
study  them  would  be  lost  labour. 

Sloth  told  him  it  was  laborious  and  toilsome 
work,  and  it  would  be  great  weariness  to  him, 
if  Difficulty  did  not  make  it  utterly  impos- 
sible. 

Deficiency  said  he  was  a  man  of  a  weak  un- 
derstanding, and  those  things  were  matters  for 
the  learned  and  most  knowing  men  to  study  ; 
nay,  that  many  of  them  too,  notwithstanding 
all  their  profound  learning,  proficiency,  and 
skill  in  the  languages,  could  hardly  attain  to 
the  right  knowledge  of  them. 

Security  endeavoured  to  make  it  appear 
that  his  condition  was  very  good  and  safe  now, 
and  that  he  had  godliness  enough,  without 
troubling  himself  farther ;  and  that  he  exceeded 
in  holiness  many  men  that  had  lived  long  in 
the  town.  Moreover,  he  told  him,  that  he  had 
followed  the  counsel  oi  Consideration  too  much 
already. 

Danger  also  spake  several  things.  1.  That 
to  give  place  to  him,  would  let  in  his  enemy 
3Ielancholy,  which  might  endanger  his  life. 
Do  you  not  see,  said  he,  how  uncomfortable 
this  Consideration  has  made  many  brave  men, 
causing  them,  by  thinking  on  their  latter  end, 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  163 

to  hang  down  their  heads  like  a  bulrush,  fold 
their  arms,  and  spend  their  days  in  tears  and 
weeping  ?  Hearken  not  to  him,  for  he  will 
certainly  infuse  sad  thoughts  into  your  mind, 
and  give  yon  as  it  were  nothing  but  gall  and 
vinegar  to  drink. 

2.  He  said,  moreover.  Consideration  had 
made  many  men  go  beside  themselves;  and  if 
he  gave  way  to  him  about  this  affair,  he  would 
be  distracted. 

3.  He  insinuated  also,  that  if  he  seriously 
mused  upon  this  matter,  or  gave  place  to  Con- 
sideration, so  that  Godliness  were  let  in,  the 
times  were  such  that  he  would  lose  his  friends 
in  business,  and  be  undone,  and  utterly  ruined. 

Worldly  Cares  proved  as  great  an  enemy  to 
Consideration  as  any  of  them  ;  for  he  could  not 
seriously  think  upon  eternity,  or  the  present 
condition  his  poor  soul  was  in,  he  was  so 
hurried  in  his  mind  about  the  affairsof  this  life; 
nay,  no  sooner  at  any  season  did  he  set  him- 
self to  ruminate  or  ponder  them  in  his  mind, 
but  Worldly  Cares  would  expel  and  drive  such 
thoughts  away. 

Carnal  Company  and  Old  Companions 
greatly  abused  Consideration.  They  turned 
Religion  and  Godliness  into  a  jest,  and  made 
the  precepts  of  the  gospel  matter  for  raillery  ; 


164  TRAVELS    OF 

and  told  him,  that  those  men  who  seemed  most 
serious,  were  the  most  seditious  ;  and  that  their 
profession  savoured  of  nothing  but  pride,  sin- 
gularity, and  hypocrisy. 

Now,  after  they  had  spoken  all  their  pleas- 
ure,* and  had  silenced,  nay,  had  quite  routed 
poor  Consideration,  his  mind  was  filled  and 
hurried  about  many  things,  which  Godliness^ 
though  not  yet  let  in,  overheard,  and  presently 
took  them  all  up  seriously  and  answered  them 
one  by  one. 

Godli.  Honest  Thoughtful,  1  would  not 
have  thee  discouraged  by  those  enemies  thou 
hast  within,  so  as  to  slight  Consideration,  for 
he  is  thy  very  good  friend,  and  as  able  a  coun- 
sellor as  most  in  this  town.  Moreover,  very 
great  inconveniences  have  always  followed 
these  who  have  ignorantly  slighted  and  con- 
temned him  ;  nay,  I  must  tell  thee,  most  of  all 
those  great  miseries  and  heavy  judgments  that 

*  Let  no  serious  inquirer  be  discouraged  at  finding 
thoughts  like  these  presented  to  his  mind,  and  be 
ready  to  conclude  that  his  religious  impressions  are 
unsound.  Disorderly  feelings  will  not  soon  be  wholly 
chastised  into  rectitude;  but  instead  of  being  dis- 
couraged by  them,  let  the  considerate  soul  regard 
sanctification  as  the  work  he  is  to  be  about,  not  the 
blessing  for  which  he  is  to  wait.  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  165 

have  befallen  nations,  cities,  towns,  churches, 
and  particular  souls,  have  been  occasioned 
through  their  great  neglect  of  Consideration. 
This  was  the  cause  of  Israel's  ruin  of  old. 
God,  by  his  merciful  providence,  sent  to  them 
by  his  prophets,  to  warn  them  of  their  perilous 
estate  and  condition  by  reason  of  their  sins  ; 
and  not  only  told  them  of  their  imminent 
danger,  but  also  revealed  its  true  causes,  and 
how  they  might  easily  provide  remedies  for 
the  prevention  of  it.  But  they  refused  to  lay 
it  to  heart,  or  consider  about  it,  which  made 
Jehovah  bewail  their  future  misery  after  this 
manner  :  **  O  that  they  were  wise,  that  they 
understood  this,  that  they  would  consider  their 
latter  end."  Deut.  xxxii.  29.  Among  other 
causes  of  their  dismal  calamities,  none  is 
more  general,  or  oftener  alleged  in  scripture 
than  the  lack  of  Consideration.  It  is  through 
this  means,  as  by  a  common  snare  and  deceit 
of  the  adversary,  that  most  men  fall  into  sin 
and  reject  me,  and  are  holden  also  perpetually 
in  Satan's  bonds,  to  their  destruction  and  per- 
dition. Men  seem  determined  to  goon  in  their 
abominable  covetousness,  ambition,  pride,  op- 
pression, excess,  drunkenness,  and  all  manner 
of  debauchery,  without  considering  what  the 
end  of  these  things  will  be.    '*  Wo  unto  them," 


166  TRAVELS    OF 

saith  the  Lord,  ''that  rise  up  early  in  the 
morning,  that  they  may  follow  strong  drink, 
and  continue  until  night,  till  wine  inflame 
them  ;  and  the  harp  and  viol,  the  tabret  and 
pipe,  and  wine  are  in  their  feasts,  but  they 
regard  not  the  work  of  the  Lord,  neither  con- 
sider the  operations  of  his  hands."  Isa.  v.  11. 
Their  lusts  and  sensuality  brought  them  to 
neglect  Consideration.  "  For  this  cause  is 
my  people  led  away  captive,  &c.  for  they  have 
no  knowledge,  no  understanding  of  the  time 
to  come,  no  consideration  of  their  danger." 
He  that  will  not  lend  an  ear  to  Consideration ^ 
renders  himself  little  belter  than  a  brute  :  and 
what  follows  this  folly  and  madness?  "  There- 
fore, saith  the  Holy  Ghost,  hell  hath  enlarged 
herself,  and  opened  her  mouth  without  meas- 
ure, and  their  glory,  and  their  multitude,  and 
their  pomp,  and  he  that  rejoiceth,  shall  de- 
scend into  it."  Isa.  v.  13,  14.  "  A  brutish 
man  knoweth  not,  neither  doth  a  fool  under- 
stand this,  when  the  wicked  spring  as  the 
grass,  and  when  all  the  workers  of  iniquity  do 
flourish  :  it  is  that  they  should  be  destroyed 
forever."  Psal.  xcii.  6,  7.  "  The  ox  knoweth 
his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib;  but 
Israel  doth  not  know,  my  people  doth  not  con- 
sider."   Isa.  i.  3. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  167 

Negligence,  Carelessness,  Ignorance,  and 
absence  of  Consideration,  as  they  brought 
down  Jerusalem,  Lam.  i.  9,  so  they  have  been 
the  bane  and  ruin  of  wretched  men  in  all  ages, 
and  will  be  yours,  if  you  hearken  to  these 
enemies  of  your  soul,  and  suffer  Consideration 
to  be  expelled.  Why  at  this  day  are  there  so 
many  people  who  drink  up  iniquity  as  the  ox 
drinks  water;  that  commit  all  manner  of  sin, 
outrage,  and  injustice,  treading  down  the  poor, 
and  contemning  me,  without  remorse  of  con- 
science, or  dread  of  God's  wrath  and  fearful 
vengeance,  but  for  the  lack  of  considering 
that  which  is  like  to  be  their  reward  and  pun- 
ishment 1  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  consider  your 
ways,  consider  your  doings."  Haggai  i.  "Con- 
sider this,  ye  that  forget  God,  lest  he  tear  you  in 
pieces,  and  there  be  none  to  deliver  you."  Ps.  \. 
Aye,  but  they  will  not  consider  it,  nor  lay  it  to 
heart ;  they  will  not  know  in  this  their  day,  the 
things  that  belong  to  their  peace,  but  inconsid- 
erately put  the  evil  day  far  away,  and  harden 
their  hearts  against  God,  provoking  him  to  draw 
his  sword,  and  cause  his  hand  to  take  hold  of 
judgment.  Nothing  doubtless  can  be  more 
intolerable  in  the  presence  of  the  Almighty, 
than  this  iniquity,  since  he  hath  pubhshed  his 
law,  declared   his  pleasure  concerning   godli- 


168  TRAVELS    OF 

ness,  charging  all  to  bear  it  in  their  minds, 
to  ponder  it  in  their  hearts,  to  study  and 
meditate  upon  it  both  day  and  night,  at  home 
and  abroad,  when  they  rise  up,  and  when  they 
lie  down,  and  to  make  it  their  thoughts  con- 
tinually. And  oh !  that  men  should  ever, 
notwithstanding  all  this,  contemn  it,  and  make 
it  no  part  of  their  thoughts,  but  rather  avoid 
with  care  the  knowledge  thereof!  God  makes 
his  complaint,  and  denounceth  judgment,  but 
no  man  (as  the  prophet  Jeremiah  sheweth) 
will  enter  into  consideration,  nor  mind  why 
the  land  mourns  :  none  cry  out,  "  What  have 
I  done  !"  All  men,  alas!  are  set  upon  their 
own  courses,  and  run  on  with  great  vehemence 
and  fierce  obstinacy,  as  the  war-horse  rushes 
into  battle,  when  he  hears  the  trumpet  sound 
a  charge. 

Come,  Thoughtful^  if  thou  adhere  to  Con- 
sideration, he  will  help  thee  to  know  God 
and  thyself,  and  to  find  out  the  miserable  con- 
dition thou  and  all  men  are  in  by  nature.  He 
is  the  key  that  openeth  the  door  for  me  to 
enter  the  innermost  room  of  thy  heart;  though 
it  is  true,  he  cannot  open  it  without  help. 
Nay,  farthermore,  he  is  the  looking-glass,  or 
rather  the  very  eye  of  thy  soul,  whereby  thou 
mayst  view  thyself,  and  see  what  a  condition 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  169 

thy  soul  is  in  :  hereby  they  raayst  espy  thy 
debts,  thy  danger,  thy  duties,  thy  defects,  thy 
safety,  the  course  thou  dost  follow,  the  com- 
pany thou  dost  keep  ;  and  the  place  and  end 
to  which  thou  drawest.*  He  will  give  thee  a 
view  of  all  God's  dealings  with  men  since  the 
creation  of  the  world ;  the  reason  why  God 
sent  his  Son,  his  gospel,  his  Spirit,  his  servants, 
and  takes  so  much  pains  to  bring  men  to  sal- 
vation. By  his  help,  thou  mayst  also  find 
that  all  the  means  God  uses  to  bring  thee  to  a 
true  sight  and  sense  of  sin  and  wrath,  and  to 
recover  thee  out  of  thy  fallen  estate,  will  prove 
vain  and  ineffectual  to  thee.  Let,  therefore, 
the  consideration  of  the  danger  thou  mayst 
escape  through  hearkening  to  him  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  great  advantage  thou  mayst  re- 
ceive on  the  other,  together  with  the  absolute 
necessity  of  cherishing  him,  if  thou  wouldst 
be  happy,  engage  thee  not  to  be  discourag- 
ed to  incline  to  him,  nor  regard  what  any 
speak  against  so  good  a  servant  as  Consid' 
eration. 

*  Here  is  a  happy  summary  of  the  topics  which  an 
awakened  soul  should  earnestly  consider.  Any  one 
who  will  take  these  as  heads  of  subjects,  will  find 
no  deficiency  in  matter  for  devout  meditation. 

Ed. 
P 


170  TRAVELS    OF 

Give  me  admission,  and  I  will  bring  thee 
acquainted  with  God  and  Jesus  Christ;  nay, 
help  thee  to  a  room  in  his  heart,  lead  thee 
into  union  and  communion  with  him,  give 
thee  much  glorious  light,  and  help  thee  to 
pardon  for  sin,  peace  of  conscience,  and  joy 
in  the  Holy  Ghost.  I  will  make  thee  a  son 
of  God,  give  thee  a  place  in  the  heavenly 
family,  feed  thee  with  the  bread  of  life,  clothe 
thee  with  glorious  robes,  and  make  thee  rich ; 
rich  in  faith,  in  knowledge,  in  experience; 
truly  rich,  always  rich,  eternally  rich;  yea, 
set  a  crown  of  glory  upon  thy  head,  and  make 
thee  an  heir  of  heaven  and  earth.  Thy  re- 
nown also  will  be  great ;  thou  shalt  have 
angels  to  guard  thee,  Christ  to  serve  thee, 
God  to  honour  thee.  Oh  !  love  him  who  would 
lead  thee  into  Christ's  bosom,  and  cause  thee 
to  sit  in  heavenly  places  ;  make  thee  to  triumph 
with  seraphims,  and  set  down  with  thy  glori- 
fied Redeemer  upon  the  throne  of  God  for 
evermore.*  Alas !  men  deal  with  me  and 
my  friend    Cujisickraiion,   as  the    inhabitants 

*  What  can  the  world  offer  which  can  compare 
with  sucli  inducements?  Reader,  if  you  have  never 
seen  what  profit  there  is  in  serving  the  Almighty, 
turn  back  and  read  these  promises  again.  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  171 

of  Sodom  did  with  the  heavenly  messen- 
gers that  entered  into  Lot's  house,  viz. 
quarrel  with  us,  abuse  us,  and  offer  violence 
to  us — who  seek  to  preserve  them  from  being 
consumed,  and  who,  whilst  we  are  with  them, 
stay  the  hand  of  Heaven  from  falling  upon 
them — the  hand  of  the  destroying  angel — that 
they  perish  not,  and  endeavour  to  make  them 
forever  happy,  possessing  all  true  felicity, 
and  free  them  from  all  misery.  Does  not 
every  man  desire  that  which  is  good  ?  Was 
ever  any  man  in  love  with  torment?  Is  it 
not  every  one's  interest  to  study  how  to  pre- 
vent it?  Why  then  surely  Consideration 
cannot  but  have  thy  affection,  unless  thou 
dost  contemn  rivers  of  pleasures,  inconceiva- 
ble glory, -even  the  inexhaustible  riches  of 
both  worlds,  and  choosest  anguish,  death,  hell, 
and  the  lake  that  burneth  with  fire  for  thy 
portion. 

As  to  the  objections  which  Diffiadtij  raises 
against  thy  compliance  with  my  advice,  they 
are  soon  answered. 

He  basely  insinuates  that  to  ponder  on 
the  great  concerns  of  Godliness  and  anoth- 
er world  is  a  hard  and  difficult  work.  In 
great  and  hazardous  achievements  for  worldly 
advantages,  however,  this  is  not  made  an  ob- 


173  TRAVELS    OF 

jection.  Men  do  not  care  how  difficult  the 
work  is,  if  it  be  but  profitable :  and  shall 
this  be  a  stumbling  block  in  the  way  ?  How 
else  should  some  houses  be  built,  or  bridges 
over  great  rivers  be  made,  or  fields  be  sowed, 
or  dangerous  voyages  to  sea  be  taken  ?  Shall 
the  carpenter  say.  Oh  it  is  difficult — and  the 
husbandman  say.  It  is  difficult — and  the  mari- 
ner say,  It  is  difficult — and  so  lay  the  enterprise 
aside? 

Is  it  not  sad,  and  very  surprising,  that  the 
enemies  of  the  gospel,  should  not  think  any 
thing  too  hard  to  undertake  in  order  to  sup- 
press and  destroy  Godliness;  and  yet  many  who 
profess  love  to  me,  are  not  willing  to  encounter 
small  difficulties  to  entertain  and  embrace 
me,  though  it  be  their  only  business  and  chief 
interest  in  the  world  !  Were  a  man's  house 
on  fire  over  his  head,  and  he  likely  to  be 
burned,  would  he  not  think  of  ways  to  escape 
though  it  was  difficult  ?  But  in  truth  it  is  not 
because  consideration  about  heaven  and  hap- 
piness is  so  difficult,  that  men  avoid  them,  but 
because  they  have  no  will  nor  love  lo 
these  things  —  other  things  are  more  in 
their  affections.  Besides,  the  rarest  things 
are  not  obtained  but  through  great  difficulty. 
What   hazard  do   men  often   run  for  honour 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  173 

and  worldly  riclies  !  Oh,  what  projects  and 
contrivances  do  they  find  out !  And  wilt  thou 
desist  from  this  work,  because  it  is  difficult? 
Men  do  not  think  it  hard  to  carry  talents  of 
lead,  or  mountains  of  sin  on  their  backs,  and 
yet  think  Consideration  difficult,  who,  like  a 
faithful  friend,  would  tell  them  how  to  be  rid 
of  that  load,  that  will  sink  them  down  into  the 
lowest  pit,  except  they  obtain  faith  in  Christ, 
or  receive  True  Godliness  into  their  hearts. 
They  do  not  think  it  hard  to  dig  into  hell  ; 
yet  they  think  Consideration  hard,  who  would 
teach  them  to  walk  the  blessed  highway  to 
heaven.  They  do  not  think  it  hard  to  be  op- 
pressed by  an  usurper;  and  yet  they  think  Con- 
sideration hard,  who  would  help  them  to  shake 
him  off.  O  fools,  and  slow  of  heart !  They 
that  have  courage  to  meet  an  army  in  the 
field,  and  have  confidence  to  laugh  at  the  glit- 
tering spear  and  shield  ;  they  that  have  cour- 
age to  plough  the  sea,  to  face  the  mouth  of 
cannon,  to  stand  a  volley  of  shot,  to  fight  duels, 
endure  the  noise  of  guns,  hear  the  clashing 
of  swords,  and  lie  on  the  cold  ground  many 
nights  together,  to  have  an  arm  or  leg  cut 
off,  think  consideration  about  religious  things 
too  hard  !  Contemn  the  thoughts  of  being 
overcome  by  deceitful  and  timorous  Difficidty. 


174  TRAVELS    OP 

As  to  what  Deficiency  says,  that  thou  art  a 
man  of  weak  understanding;  thou  canst  per- 
ceive that  gold  is  better  than  glass,  and  that 
pearls  are  better  than  pebbles.  Thou  art  able 
to  perceive  thou  art  mortal,  and  must  die  ;  and 
dost  know,  when  a  bone  is  broken,  it  is  good 
to  have  it  set;  that  food  is  good  when  thou  art 
hungry  ;  and  that  it  is  good  to  get  clothes  to 
cover  thee. ,'  Art  thou  not,  then,  able  to  con- 
sider that  there  is  need  of  food  for  thy  soul, 
and  clothes  to  cover  the  nakedness  of  thy  soul, 
and  that  it  is  good  to  have  grace  to  enrich  thy 
soul?  Art  thou  able  to  find  out  how  grievous 
it  is  to  be  cast  into  a  furnace  of  fire,  and  yet 
canst  not  understand  that  it  is  worse  to  be 
cast  into  a  fire  that  cannot  be  quenched? 
Nay,  have  not  very  weak  and  simple  persons 
attained  to  the  skill  of  Consideration  about 
their  eternal  state ;  and  have  even  outdone 
the  wise  and  learned  of  the  world  ?  "  Knowl- 
edge is  easy  unto  him  that  hath  understand- 
ing." Prov.  xiv.  IG.  **  Wisdom  gives  subtle- 
ty to  the  simple,  and  young  men  knowledge 
and  discretion."  Prov.  i.  4.  "  When  wisdom 
entereth  into  thine  heart,  and  knowledge  is 
pleasant  to  thy  soul,  discretion  shall  preserve 
thee,  and  understanding  shall  keep  thee." 
Prov.  ii.  10,  11, 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  175 

As  for  what  Sloth  saith,  thou  hast  cause  to 
abhor  him,  for  he  is  a  beggarly  character,  and 
deserves  to  be  driven  not  only  out  of  thy  house, 
but  out  of  the  world,  for  he  never  did  any  man 
the  least  good  :  cast  him  out  then  as  a  vaga- 
bond. Thoughtful,  wouldst  thou  not  be  at 
pains?  Remember,  the  slothful  person  shall 
beg  at  harvest,  and.  have  nothing.  He  would 
not  have  thee  consider  thy  danger,  though 
thou  knovvest  it  will  soon  be  too  late  to  escape 
it.  Oh  !  how  many  have  lost  their  souls  by 
this  wretch  !  What  good  comes  of  Idleness  / 
Besides,  do  you  not  see  how  the  men  of  this 
world  hate  him  .^  They  will  not  hearken  to 
him,  but  will  in  despite  of  him  engage  in  all 
ways  and  means  to  get  bread  to  eat,  and 
clothes  to  put  on  ;  nay,  seek  out,  through  great 
industry,  rare  projects  to  amass  riches ;  and 
wilt  thou  be  drawn  away  by  him,  from  think- 
ing on  the  ready  way  to  be  made  rich,  great, 
and  renowned  for  ever  ?  It  is  the  diligent 
hand  that  hath  the  promise :  "  Thou  must 
seek  for  wisdom  as  for  silver,  and  search  for  her 
as  for  hid  treasure."  Prov.  ii.  4.  Do  not  think 
that  I  put  too  great  a  burden  upon  thee  ;  for 
observe,  it  is  not  necessary  to  take  greater 
pains  about  this  inestimable  jewel,  than  men 
of  the  world  take  to  get  the  perishing  things 


176  TRAVELS    OF 

of  this  life  :  nay,  if  men  did  but  bestow  half 
the  labour  about  the  good  of  their  souls,  that 
they  do  about  getting  the  world,  and  providing 
for  their  bodies,  what  happy  persons  might 
they  be  ! 

As  to  what  timorous,  faint-hearted  Danger 
has  laid  before  thee,  in  respect  to  letting  in 
Mdanclwly ,  this  is  a  mere  deceit ;  for  there 
is  a  vast  different  between  serious  Consider- 
ation and  destructive  Melancholy.  A  man 
is  not  sad,  because  he  will  not  swear,  cheat, 
gamble,  and  be  drunk.  Consideration  will 
let  thee  see,  that  those  men  who  are  pleas- 
ed so  much  with  vain  sports  and  merriment, 
have  the  least  cause  to  rejoice  of  any  men  in 
the  world. 

Consideration  will  show  you  that  whatsoever 
vain  men  may  prate  and  boast  of,  touching  joy 
and  pleasures,  yet  there  is  no  delight  and  felici- 
ty like  that  which  is  found  in  the  ways  of  true 
virtue  ;  that  Godliness  is  the  best  security ; 
that  those  serious  persons  who  look  deject- 
ed and  melancholy  to  the  carnal  eye,  have 
joys  within  which  no  stranger  intermeddles 
with ,  and  carry  in  their  breast  that  which 
can  make  their  life  perpetually  peaceful  and 
joyous. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  177 

They  are  fools  that  count  the  life  of  a  Chris- 
tian madness,  and  his  inward  peace,  an  airy 
notion.  Who  is  so  frantic,  as  he  who  cher- 
ishes a  serpent  in  his  bosom,  that  will  certain- 
ly sting  him  to  death;  who  never  sows,  yet 
thinks  to  reap  at  harvest;*  who  might  have 
glorious  robes  to  clothe  him,  and  yet  values 
his  own  rags  above  them,  or  chooses  to  go  un- 
clothed ;t  who  hates,  and  seeks  to  destroy  his 
best  friends,  for  the  sake  of  whom  he  is  not 
destroyed  ;|  who  thinks  to  go  to  heaven,  and 
yet  walks  the  direct  way  to  hell?  Can  there 
be  greater  madness  than  to  prefer  a  stone  before 
bread,  or  feed  upon  husks  with  the  swine,  when 
there  are  all  good  things  to  be  had,  by  seeking 
for  them  ?    Can  there  be  greater  madness  than 

^"Whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also 
reap."    Gal.  vi.  7. 

t "  All  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags." 
Isaiah  Ixiv.  6.  "  He  halh  covered  me  with  the  robe 
of  righteousness."     Isaiah  Ixi.  10. 

t  "  Because  you  are  not  of  the  world,  but  I  have 
chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the  world 
hateth  you."     John  xv.  19. 

These  texts,  selected  frotn  many  of  like  import,  at 
once  prove  and  explain  the  expressions  to  which  they 
refer.  Ed. 


178  TRAVELS    OF 

to  value  a  base  propensity  above  God,  Christ, 
and  eternal  glory  ? 

Whereas  Danger,  in  order  to  obstruct  Con- 
sideration from  opening  to  me,  tells  thee  of  the 
evils  of  the  times,  and  that,  if  I  am  let  in,  thou 
wilt  be  undone — be  assured,  if  I  am  kept  out, 
there  is  no  way  to  escape,  but  ruined  thou  wilt 
be.  No  danger  is  like  soul-danger.  He  can 
never  be  undone  that  hath  God  for  his  portion 
and  heaven  for  his  inheritance.  Lose  thy  soul, 
and  what  hast  thou  more  ?  And  unless  thou 
consider  soon,  and  open  to  me,  thou  canst  not 
save  it;  for  "without  holiness  no  man  shall 
see  the  Lord." 

Worldly-Cares,  I  know,  hinders  my  dear 
friend  Consideration  as  much  as  any  one  ;  he 
would  persuade  thee  thou  hast  no  time  to  think 
on  God  nor  Godliness,  having  a  trade  to  follow, 
a  family  to  provide  for,  &lc.  But  shall  those 
things  hinder  thee  from  thinking  of  any  thing 
else?  Is  there  not  one  thing  more  needful, 
viz — to  seriously  think  on  me,  and  of  the  con- 
cerns of  thy  soul,  when  thou  art  at  work,  or 
about  thy  worldly  affairs;  when  thou  goest  out, 
and  when  thou  comest  in ;  when  thou  liest 
down,  and  when  thou  risest  up?  Thy  heart 
may  be  with  God,  when  thy  hands  are  fully 
employed.     True,  if  the  world  is  in  thy  heart. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  179 

there  can  be  but  little  room  for  Consideration, 
much  less  for  True  Godliness.  A  continual  hur- 
ry of  business  puts  out  the  eye  whereby  it  should 
reflect  upon  itself.  But  shall  the  earth  keep 
out  heaven,  and  the  prince  of  darkness  shut 
out  the  Prince  of  Light,  and  briars  and  thorns 
choke  the  good  seed?  Shall  Worldhj-Cares 
and  business  be  thy  chief  guests  whom  thou 
biddest  welcome,  and  Christ  stand  at  thy  door 
as  a  neglected  stranger  ?  Shall  Worldly  Con- 
sideration be  cherished,  and  Serious  Consid- 
eration be  crushed,  who  would  put  thee  in  a 
way  to  get  to  heaven  ?  But  remember  this, 
he  that  hath  not  time  to  open  to  Christ  here, 
Christ  will  find  no  time  to  open  to  him  here- 
after. Can  the  world  help  thee  to  peace  and 
pardon  on  a  death  bed,  or  riches  deliver  thee 
in  the  day  of  wrath? 

As  to  what  thy  Old  Companions  lay  before 
thee  to  render  me  odious,  if  thou  persist  in  re- 
garding them,  adieu  forever  I  They  that  hate 
Seriousness  for  themselves,  must  needs  dislike 
it  in  others  :  these  are  Satan's  agents,  whom 
he  sends  abroad  into  the  world  to  destroy  vir- 
tue ;  these  strive  to  put  me  into  a  wolf's  skin, 
and  then  set  the  dogs  of  the  town  upon  me. 
Shun  keeping  company  with  these  scoffers 
and  contemners  of    True   Godliness,  for  the 


180  TRAVELS    OF 

sake  of  thy  precious  soul.  As  thou  art  come 
into  the  town  of  Religion,  so  let  the  truly  re- 
ligious be  thy  companions,  who  will  instead  of 
hindering,  help  Serious  Consideration.  What 
ground  is  there  to  think  a  man  should  mind 
the  true  interest  of  his  soul,  that  keeps  com- 
pany with  persons  who  make  sport  of  Serious 
Consideration  ?  What  is  he  that  keeps  com- 
pany with  sinners,  but  an  abettor  of  sinners  1 
Remember  that  society  in  sin  strangely  dimin- 
ishes the  sense  of  its  heinousness.  As  is  a 
man's  company,  such  is  the  man  ;  and  as  is 
his  company  here,  such  it  is  likely  to  be  here- 
after. Oh,  how  do  sinners  harden  one  anoth- 
er in  ways  of  wickedness  !  They  think  there 
is  some  comfort  in  having  associates  in  misery. 
It  is  a  hard  thing  indeed,  Thoughtful,  to  be 
serious  in  such  a  wicked  age  as  this.  A  wick- 
ed man,  as  he  poisons  the  air  in  which  he 
breathes,  so  he  pollutes  the  age  in  which  he 
lives.  It  is  bad  lodging  in  the  house  where 
God  refuses  to  dwell ;  with  the  froward  thou 
wilt  soon  learn  frowardness  :  but  it  is  better  to 
be  contemned  for  virtue  by  men  on  earth,  than 
to  be  condemned  for  vice  by  the  God  of 
heaven.  What  sayest  thou,  Thoughtful,  shall 
Consideration  prevail  with  thee  to  open  the 
door  to  me  ? 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  181 

Conscience  being  now  brought  over  to  join 
with  the  solicitations  of  Godliness,  Thoughtful 
was  fully  resolved  to  cherish  Serious  Considera- 
tion* in  spite  of  all  the  clamour,  raised  by  the 
other  inmates  of  his  house.  Indeed  he  deter- 
mined to  rid  himself  as  soon  as  possible  of 
every  one  of  them,  and  had  no  doubt  of  im- 
mediate success — but  lo  !  on  a  sudden,  new 
enemies  rose  up  in  his  house^  and  made  strong 
opposition  to  the  admission  of  Godliness.  Of 
this  we  shall  give  an  account  in  the  next 
Chapter. 

*  When  David  thought  on  his  tvays,  he  began  to 
turn  his  feet  unto  God's  testimonies.  Psalm  cxix.  59. 
This  is  the  state  of  mind  which  leads  the  thoughtful 
sinner  to  inquiry  meetings,  and  to  the  word  of  God, 
and  is  clearly  described  in  the  next  Chapter.       Ed. 


CHAPTER  XIIT. 

Thoughtful,  though  he  had  embraced  Considera- 
tion, and  ivas  resolved  to  receive  Godliness  into 
his  house,  is  hindered  hy  Old-Man,  Wilful-Will, 
Carnal-Affections,  and  Apollyon.  He  is  aided 
hy  Laborious,  but  had  not  prevailed,  had  it  not 
been  for  another,  who  came  in  to  his  assistance. 

Thoughtful,  having  with  much  joy  and 
gladness  embraced  Consideration,  and  over- 
come the  snares  and  impediments  those  adver- 
saries (we  mentioned  before)  laid  in  his  way, 
was  now  resolved  to  receive  2Vz/c  Godliness^ 
and  speedily  close  with  Jesus  Christ;  but  all 
on  a  sudden  other  enemies,  that  he  had  not 
suspected  to  be  in  his  house  before,  rose  up, 
and  made  strong  opposition  against  his  receiv- 
ing this  heavenly  guest..  These  enemies  were 
Old-Man,  Carnal- Affections,  and  Wilful-  Will, 
all  stirred  up  by  the  envious  prince  Apollyon. 
But  though  he  was  thus  discouraged  by  unex- 
pected  opposition,  he  found  that  he   had  by 


TRAVELS    OP  TRUE    GODLINESS.  183 

the  means  of  Consideration,  and  the  light  ot 
God's  word,  some  new  friends  to  help  and  as- 
sist him;  their  names  were  Conscience. and 
Enlighienecl-Understancling.  Now  Apollyon 
being  in  great  fear  that  Thoughtful,  by  the 
help  of  Consideration,  Conscience,  and  En- 
lightened Understanding,  would  embrace  True 
Godliness,  rose  up,  and  addressed  with  great 
fervour  the  infernal  host  around  him.  "  Most 
mighty  powers,  (said  he,)  ye  who  incurred  the 
miseries  of  this  infernal  abode,  in  your  at- 
tempts to  upbuild  and  maintain  my  throne 
and  your  rights,  bestir  yourselves,  or  all  is 
gone  as  to  Thoughtful,  and  we  lose  him  for- 
ever." 

Then  answered  one  of  his  chief  friends,  and 
bid  the  assembly  not  to  be  discouraged.  "  You 
see,''  said  he,  "we  have  yet  a  strong  party  in 
this  house.  Old-Man,  Wilful,  Carnal-Affec- 
tions, will  do  their  utmost  to  keep  out  this  sanc- 
timonious traveller.  Let  us  go  and  inspire  these 
with  new  zeal.  Let  us  endeavour  to  get  Car- 
nal-Company  and  Old  Companions  into  his 
house  again.  Let  us  perplex  him  with  Worldly 
Care,  who  has  always  proved  a  notable  enemy 
to  Consideration.  There  is  no  need  to  despair, 
brethren.  Let  us  only  give  full  scope  to  our 
power  and  craft,  and  the  victory  will  be  ours. 


184  TRAVELS    OF 

This  speech  met  general  approbation,  and 
all  seemed  to  take  new  courage.  AH  the  pow- 
ers of  hell  now  combined  to  prevent  Thought- 
ful from  receiving  True  Godliness.  Poor 
Thoughtful  was  put  to  a  stand.  One  while 
he  was  resolved  to  open  the  door,  but  then 
suddenly  his  heart  was  captivated  with  the 
pleasures  or  business  of  this  life.  This  was 
because  his  affections  were  not  yet  thoroughly 
changed,  nor  the  evil  qualities  of  his  soul  re- 
moved ;  for  Old'31an  had  grievously  corrupted 
ail  his  powers  and  faculties.  Godliness,  who 
with  patience  waited  still  at  his  door,  perceiv- 
ing his  hesitation,  asked  him  what  the  matter 
was  that  he  did  not  let  him  in. 

Thoughtful  answered,  he  was  hindered  by 
base  advisers  that  he  had  in  his  house;  upon 
this.  Godliness  and  he  fell  into  serious  discourse 
again. 

Godli.  Who  is  it,  Thoughtful,  that  hinders 
my  being  received? 

Thought.  I  find  several  who  raise  great 
objections — one  of  the  most  resolute  is  Old- 
Man. 

Godli.  Ah !  he  is  my  grand  enemy,  and 
hath  been  nearly  six  thousand  years.  There 
is  not  one  in  all  the  world,  that  has  done  more 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  185 

wrong  than  he  and  his  daughter,  Carnal-Affec- 
tions. 

Thought.  I  find  also  Wilful-Willis  utterly 
against  your  admission  :  Lord,  what  will  be- 
come of  me  ?  I  know  you  are  worthy  of  en- 
tertainment ;  and,  oh  !  who  am  I,  that  you 
should  come  to  be  guest  to  such  a  vile  and 
unworthy  wretch  ! 

Godli.  Nay,  Thoughtful,  1  do  not  stand 
alone  ;  but  here  are  others  waiting  at  thy  door 
to  come  in  with  me  also,  who  are  persons  of  no 
mean  quality. 

Thought.    Others  !    pray  who  are  they  ? 

Godli.  Why  here  is  the  eternal  Jehovah, 
with  Jesus  Christ,  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of 
the  earth,  and  the  Holy  Spirit.  Rev.  iii.  39. 
^'Thought.  Lord!  what  shall  I  do?  O  infi- 
nite and  admirable  grace  and  condescension  ! 
God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  at 
my  door,  and  I  not  let  them  in  1  Oh  !  this  is 
amazing  ! 

Godli.  Moreover,  I  must  tell  thee,  they 
have  been  waiting  here  ever  since  I  came  first 
to  knock  at  thy  door ;  and  I  so  informed 
thee  :  but  I  perceive  thy  memory  proves  false. 
Thou  art  doubtless  misled  by  that  deceptive 
Old-Man ;   but  if  thou  dost  not  open  to  me 

a 


186  TRAVELS    OF 

soon,  I  shall  leave  thee,*  and  these  illustrious 
guests  will  take  their  departure.  Why  dost 
thou  not  lay  Old-Man  prostrate  1  It  is  not 
enough  to  cry,  What,  Lord,  shall  I  do?  but 
thou  must  shake  off  Sloth,  and  like  a  brave 
and  courageous  soul  acquit  thyself. 

Thovght.  Alas!  what  can  I  do?  This 
Old-Ma?i  is  too  strong  for  me.  Wilfid-Will  is 
very  stubborn  too.  Carnal-Affections  and 
Old- Companions  haunt  me  continually.  I  am 
unequal  to  them. 

Godli.  Why,  I  will  tell  thee  ;  there  is  one 
in  thy  house  that  will  help  thee,  if  tliou  heark- 
en to  him. 

Thought.    What  is  his  name,  Sir  ? 

Godli.    His  name  is  Conscience. 

Thought.  Sir,  I  know  him  well ;  he  has, 
since  his  eyes  were  opened,  been  a  very  good 
friend  to  me :  but  for  a  great  while  he  lay 
in  my  house  almost  as  one  dead,  and  I  found 
his  eyes  almost  put  out  by  Old  Man ;  but  all 
that  he  can  do,  is  not  sufficient  without  farther 
help. 

*  How  many  who  seemed  to  have  got  thus  far  in 
religion,  have  at  last  relapsed,  and  the  glorious  guest 
has  retired  to  return  no  more  !  If  foes  appear  to 
multiply,  let  zeal  and  effort  increase.  We  are  flying 
from  wrath,  we  run  for  a  crown.  The  struggle  must 
never  be  relinquished.  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  187 

Godli  Thou  sayest  right ;  thank  Enlight- 
ened Understanding  for  that.  Consideration, 
by  bringing  him  to  read  and  hear  God's  holy 
word,  opened  the  eyes  of  your  Understanding 
also.  But  is  there  no  other  friend  of  mine  in 
thy  house,  who  can  lend  thee  assistance  in  this 
time  of  need  ? 

Thought.  Alas  !  Sir,  whom  have  I  else 
that  can  do  any  thing  for  me  ?  My  house  is  full 
of  adversaries  ;  never  was  a  cage  fuller  of  un- 
clean and  hateful  birds. 

Godli.  Thou  sayest  right ;  I  believe  thee, 
poor  Thoughtful.  But  see  if  thou  canst  not 
find  a  friend  that  I  dearly  love,  and  have  a 
long  time  sought  for. 

Thought.  Pray,  Sir,  who  is  that  ?  Tell  me 
his  name. 

Godli.  His  name  is  Endeavour,  alias  La- 
borious. You  cannot  imagine.  Thoughtful, 
what  great  things  he  hath  done.  O  !  I  love 
him  much.  He  helped  Noah  to  build  the  ark, 
and  Jacob  to  get  the  blessing,  and  to  wrestle 
with  the  angel,  and  to  prevail  too ;  and  Solo- 
mon to  build  the  temple.  Consideration,  it  is 
true,  caused  David  to  think  on  his  ways;  but 
it  was  Endeavour  that  turned  his  foot  to  keep 
God's  statutes.  Consideration  also  brought  the 
poor  prodigal  to  his  right   mind ;    but  it  was 


188  TRAVELS    OP 

Endeavour  that  sent  him  home  to  his  father's 
house,  after  the  Spirit  of  God  had  brought 
him  to  himself.  Nay,  I  could  tell  thee,  I 
have  taught  him  to  get  many  a  blessing  by 
prayer.  Who  was  it  that  got  the  three  loaves 
in  the  gospel  ?  Was  it  not  the  importunate  En- 
decwour  ?  Was  it  not  he  likewise  that  made 
the  poor  widow  prevail  with  the  unjust  judge  to 
avenge  her  of  her  adversary  ?  In  a  word, 
the  promise  of  God  is  made  to  him — '*  If  you 
follow  on  to  know  the  Lord,  then  you  shall 
know  him."  It  is  this  diligent  person  that 
makes  men,  with  God's  blessing,  rich ;  and 
laborious  effort  is  the  divinely  appointed  means 
of  becoming  spiritually  rich.  Now,  what  dost 
thou  say,  Thoughtful  ?  Canst  thou  find  within 
my  good  friend  Endeavour  ? 

Thought.  Truly,  Sir,  now  1  think  of  it,  I 
hope  I  have  him  ;  but  he  has  been  here  only  a 
little  time,  and  has  been  too  much  neglected 
by  me  :  for  I  did  not  "  strive  to  enter  in  at 
the  strait  gate,"  till  now.  But  pray,  wherein 
will  he  be  so  useful  to  me  ?  What  are  his 
properties  ?* 

*  The  answer  to  this  question  will  point  the  awaken- 
ed soul  to  the  efforts  which  it  is  his  duty  to  make. 
Such  as  have  been  long  serious,  and  have  not  brought 
Endeavour  in  this  manner  to  their  aid  should  not 
wonder  at  their  want  of  hope  and  comfort.          Ed, 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  189 

Godli.  Why,  he  commonly  stirs  up  men  to 
open  the  door  to  me.  He  is  a  great  enemy  to 
Sloth  and  Idleness;  and  makes  men  rise  be- 
times in  the  morning  to  call  upon  God.  He  not 
only  induces  them  to  read  his  word,  but  to 
search  into  it  diligently  He  will  make  you  in- 
cline your  ear  to  listen  to  what  Conscience  says, 
and  make  you  tremble  at  his  reproofs  and 
accusations  when  you  sin  against  God,  if  you 
will  take  his  counsel.  He  will  cause  you  to  go 
and  hear  sermons,  and  not  to  sleep  when  you 
get  there ;  nor  neglect  convictions ;  nor 
be  careless  and  negligent  in  any  duty.  He 
will  send  you  to  converse  with  experienced 
Christians ;  and  require  you  to  peruse  practi- 
cal books.  He  will  teach  you  to  set  apart 
stated  seasons  every  day  for  prayer,  reading 
God's  word,  and  sacred  meditation.  He  will 
help  you  to  labour  after  faith,  and  not  to  rest 
upon  any  thing  short  of  Christ. 

Thought.  O !  Sir,  this  is  the  very  friend 
I  want ;  and  blessed  be  God  that  I  have  found 
him.  I  am  resolved  to  make  use  of  his  help 
and  assistance  continually. 

Upon  this  he  became  very  diligent  in  attend- 
ing upon  all  the  means  of  grace.  Moreover, 
by  the  help  of  Endeavour,  he  cut  off  some 
one  or  two  of  the  members  of  Old-Man,  that 


190  TRAVELS    OP 

body  of  sin,  and  prayed  morning  and  evening; 
and  would  not  speak  at  random  with  his 
tongue,  nor  neglect  to  hear  a  good  sermon, 
when  an  opportunity  presented.  He  became 
strictly  just  in  all  his  dealings  with  men,  and 
generous  toward  objects  of  undoubted  utility. 
But  now  Apollyon,  by  the  treachery  of  Old' 
Man,  raised  up  another  enemy  which  had  al- 
most undone  him  insensibly.  This  was  SelJ- 
Kighteousjiess,  a  very  great  enemy  to  True 
Godliness.  By  his  influence  Thoughtful  was 
becoming  quite  contented  with  himself,  and 
began  to  forget  that  he  had  not  admitted  True 
Godliness  ;  but  at  last,  he  knocked  again,  and 
demanded  instant  admittance. 

Godli.  What  is  the  cause  of  this  great 
neglect  1  What,  shall  I  not  be  received  ?  O 
what  a  long  time  have  I  stood  at  your  door  ! 
What  is  the  difficulty  now  ? 

Thought.  Truly,  Sir,  I  had  concluded  that 
now  the  door  was  open*  by  the  help  of  my 

*  How  ready  is  the  great  Adversary  to  adopt  any 
measures  which  may  ruin  the  soul  !  He  labours  as 
long  as  there  remains  the  least  hope  of  success  to  re- 
press serious  consideration.  When  this  is  impossible, 
he  cherishes  a  reliance  on  present  attainments  ;  or 
induces  a  belief  that  no  more  can  be  done^  and  that 
now  the  soul  must  wait  for  God  to  do  the  rest.    Ed, 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  191 

good  friend  Laborious,  for  I  have  done  what 
he  required  of  me. 

Godli.  No,  no,  Thoughtful,  I  am  still  kept 
out.  Wilful-Will  and  Old-Man  have  beguiled 
you,  and  let  in  another  dangerous  enemy, 
whose  name  is  Self -Righteousness.  I  cannot 
enter  until  he  be  expelled  and  hated.  This 
was  he  that  quite  undid  poor  Legalist,  and  will 
quite  ruin  you  too,  if  you  do  not  take  heed.  I 
would  not  have  you  slight  Endeavour,  but  do 
not  make  an  idol  of  him.  If  you  be  found  in 
your  own  righteousness,  you  will  be  lost  by 
by  your  own  unrighteousness.  Duties  can  nev- 
er have  too  much  of  your  diligence,  nor  too  lit- 
tle of  your  dependence.  Not  the  salt  sea  of 
thy  own  tears,  but  the  red  sea  of  Christ's 
blood  must  wash  away  thy  sins.  /You  must 
owe  the  life  of  your  soul,  to  the  death  of  your 
Saviour.  If  you  have  no  better  righteousness 
than  what  is  of  your  own  providing,  you  will 
meet  with  no  higher  happiness  than  what  is 
of  your  own  deserving.  You  must  take  up 
duties  in  point  of  performance,  but  lay  them 
all  down  again  in  point  of  dependence.  There 
is  as  much  cause  to  fear  for  your  safety  now 
as  there  ever  was  !     What  will  you  do  ? 

Thought.  Lord,  help  me  ;  what  shall  I  do 
indeed?    O!    how  many  are  deceived,  who 


192  TRATELS    OP 

think  it  is  an  easy  thing  to  be  saved  ?  Surely 
I  shall  never  attain  to  a  state  of  grace  and  true 
conversion. 

Upon  this  a  melancholy  and  very  dangerous 
person,  called  Despond^  attacked  him,  and 
almost  prostrated  him  to  the  earth — wound- 
ing him  so  grievously,  that  he  despaired 
of  life.  Indeed,  he  was  overwhelmed  with 
trouble  ;  and  that  which  grieved  him  most  of 
all,  was,  to  think,  that  all  this  time,  not  only 
True  Godliness,  but  Christ  himself  also,  waited 
at  his  door.  Godliness,  perceiving  what  a  de- 
plorable condition  he  was  in,  spake  to  him  af- 
ter this  manner. 

Godli.  Poor  Thoughtful,  do  not  give  way 
to  ApoUyon,  that  prince  of  darkness ;  for  he  it 
is  who  hath  stirred  up  that  cruel  enemy  Des- 
po7id  to  take  away  thy  life.  That  cruel  destroy- 
er hath  sent  many  souls  to  hell.  Come,  though 
thy  own  righteousness  is  worth  nothing,  being 
like  filthy  rags,  yet  Christ's  righteousness 
is  sufficient  to  cover  thee,  and  his  blood  to 
heal  thy  wounds.  Your  business  is  to  believe, 
viz.  wholly  to  get  out  of  yourself,  and  rely  upon 
Christ's  all-sufficient  merits ;  and  know  assur- 
edly, that  the  very  moment  you  cast  yourself, 
by  a  lively  act  of  faith,  upon  Jesus  Christ,  I 
shall  enter  your  habitation  ! 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  193 

O  poor  Thoughtful,  know,  that  Christ's 
righteousness  hath  more  worth  in  it  to  save 
you,  and  raise  you  up  to  heaven,  than  your 
own  unrighteousness  hath  weight  to  cast  you 
down  to  hell.  You  say  you  are  a  great,  and 
hell  deserving  sinner  ;  but  you  can  be  but  a 
sinner,  and  Christ  died  for  sinners ;  and  never 
did  any  throw  themselves  by  an  act  of  true  faith 
upon  him,  but  they  were  saved.  He  died  for 
the  chief  of  sinners.*  Do  you  not  hear  him  say, 
**  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest  ?'^  Matt, 
xi.  28,  29. 

Thought.  O  that  I  could  believe  !  My  sins! 
my  sins  ! 

No  sooner  had  Godliness  showed  him  in  this 
full  and  clear  manner  what  it  was  to  open  the 
door,  and  laid  before  him  the  necessity  of 
union  with  Christ,  and  of  faith  in  him,  but 
Apollyon,  stirred  up  Wilful-Will,  Old- Man, 
and  other   bitter  enemies,  to  cause  dreadful 

*  Such  as  mourn  for  sin,  and  yet  suppose  their  guilt 
too  great  to  be  forgiven,  should  know  that  this  thought 
is  a  great  sin.  It  is  even  making  God  a  liar  !  See 
1  John  V.  10,  11,  and  Heb.  vii.  25.  Whoever,  under 
this  trouble,  reads  seriously,  will  turn  to  these  pas- 
gages  and  see  them  in  their  connexion.  Ed. 

R 


194  TRAVELS    OF 

commotions  in  his  house ;  for  nothing  doth  the 
devil  fear  more  than  true  faith.  Apollyon, 
also  tried  his  skill  in  many  other  ways  to  undo 
him,  so  that  he  was  hard  beset. 

When,  however,  he  saw  none  of  those  ways 
were  likely  to  succeed,  he  laid  before  him  the 
outward  danger  he  would  be  in,  if  True  Godli- 
ness were  embraced.  He  told  him,  he  was 
likely  to  suffer  great  persecution,  it  being  the 
portion  of  all  who  entertained  True  Godliness, 
insomuch  that  his  very  life  might  be  in  danger. 
But  Godliness  comforted  him  with  many 
precious  promises ;  telling  him  also,  he  had 
such  a  glorious  retinue  to  attend  him,  which 
he  would  bring  into  his  house  with  him,  that 
he  need  not  fear  any  difficulty,  provided  he 
would  but  admit  him  ;  and  seeing  he  was  still 
unable  to  open  the  door,  his  enemies  being  too 
strong  for  him,  he  told  him,  there  was  one 
friend  of  his,  whom,  if  he  could  prevail  with 
to  come  to  his  assistance,  he  would  soon  make 
the  way  clear,  and  open  the  door.  Who  is 
that?  said  T/«ow^/i(/iJ,  with  great  earnestness 
mingled  with  joy.  Godliness  then  discovered 
to  him  the  excellency  of  his  person,  and  the 
nature  of  his  operation,  by  which  he  soon  un- 
derstood it  was  the  Holy  Ghost.  Upon  this 
he   was   not  a  little  delighted,  and  presently 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  195 

cried  out,  as  one  whose  life  is  in  danger,  to 
God,  to  send  the    Holy    Spirit   to  assist  him. 

"  O  Lord,  the  Holy  Spirit,  teach  me  thy 
truth,  and  work  in  me  to  do  thy  pleasure." 
Thus  he  cried,  with  the  greatest  fervency,  and 
presently  there  vvas  strange  strugglings  indeed 
(the  Holy  Spirit  acting  upon  all  the  faculties 
of  his  soul;)  yea,  such  a  conflict  as  he  never 
before  met  with.  Judgment  m  the  combat  be- 
haved himself  valiantly  ;  Consideration  was  not 
wanting ;  Conscience  laid  on  home  blows, 
being  backed  by  Endeavour ;  and  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  combat,  the  Holy  Spirit  came 
in,  and  with  him  Faith  and  other  attendants  of 
Godliness;  then  the  door  flew  open,  and 
Godliness  entered.  Old-Man  hid  himself 
TT7//?/?-TF//^ submitted,  and  became  Thought' 
fid's  very  good  servant.  Carnal  Affections^ 
changed  their  minds,  and  were  made  heavenly ; 
and  so  abode,  increasingly,  to  his  dying  day. 

True  Godliness  being  now  entered*  into 
his  house,    with  his   attendants,    Thoughtful 

*  It  will  be  seen  that  the  conversion  described  in 
this  chapter,  was  not  sudden  and  unaccountable — but 
that  the  mind  became  gradually  prepared  and  enlight- 
ened. That  sudden  conversions  do  sometimes  occur 
is  indisputable,  but  they  are  rare — that  is,  such  as  are 
sudden  in  all  their  circumstances.     In  point  of  fact, 


196  TRAVELS    OF 

was  not  a  little  comforted.  Now  the  retinue 
of  Godliness,  who  came  in  with  him,  were 
these,  Newman,  True  Love,  Humility,  So- 
hfiety.  Sincerity,  Temperance,  Self -Clearing, 
Faithful,  Excellent-Knowledge,  Blessed-Ex- 
perience, Godly-Zeal,  Filial-Fear,  Precious- 
Promises,  Holy-Revenge,  Vehement-Desire, 
Constant-Supplication,  Spiritual-Indignation, 
Christian-Courage,  Sincere  Aims  and  Ends, 
Careful,  Patience,  Hospitality,  Stability, 
Charity,  Liberality,  Chastity,  Purity,  Holy- 
Sympathy,  Wake-Man,  Watch-Well,  Peacea- 
ble, Harmless,  Gentleness,  Brotherly-Kind- 
ness, and  Love-All ;  besides  several  others  of 
like  quality.  These,  as  I  formerly  stated,  were 
persons  of  noble  birth,  being  the  offspring  of 
Heaven.  I  perceived  also  a  most  glorious 
company  with  them  ;  and  that  you  may  know 

regeneration  must  be  instantaneous.  There  never 
can  be  a  moment  in  which  a  person  is  neither  God's 
friend  nor  foe,  neither  possessing  grace,  nor  destitute 
of  it.  Godliness  enters  the  heart  in  an  instant,  though 
he  may  long  knock  and  teach.  The  exact  time  is  far 
less  frequently  known  than  is  supposed^,  and  is  of 
little  consequence  to  be  ascertained.  We  may  more 
safely  judge  whether  godliness  dwells  in  our  heart, 
by  examining  whether  his  blessed  retinue  be  there, 
than  by  endeavouring  to  assure  ourselves  how  and 
when  he  entered.  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  197 

what  a  happy  man  poor  Thoughtful  now  be- 
came, I  shall  inform  you  who  they  were. 

The  first,  was  the  Father  of  True  Godli' 
ness,  for  he  always  dwells  where  he  dwells,  and 
abides  with  this  his  glorious  and  heavenly  at- 
tendant. Then  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
which  brought  that  word  to  my  remembrance, 
*'Ifany  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  words, 
and  my  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will  come 
unto  him,  and  make  our  abode  with  him." 
John  xiv.  23.  Also  the  other  words,  "  I  will 
come  in  to  him,  and  sup  with  him,  and  he  with 
me,"  Rev.  iii.  20.  2  Tim.  i.  14.  Also,  The 
Holy  Spirit,  who  condescends  to  dwell  with 
him  and  make  his  house  as  a  holy  temple  to 
the  Lord. 

Besides  these,  there  was.  Union  ;  Reconcil- 
iation ;  Justification;  Acceptation;  Commu- 
nion loith  the  Father  and  Son;  Adoption  ;  Par- 
don of  Sin;  The  Image  of  God;  Peace  of 
Conscience  ;  Joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost ;  Free 
Access  to  the  Throne  of  Grace  ;  A  Place  in 
the  heavenly  Family  ;  Felloivship  with  Saints  ; 
The  Sealing  of  the  Spirit ;  Increase  of  Grace ; 
The  Attendance  of  an  innumerable  Company 
of  Angels. 

But  lo !  I  looked,  and  afar  off  I  espied 
another  glorious  train   follov.-ing,  in  the  midst 


19S  TRAVELS    OF 

of  which  I  plainly  discerned,  amongst  others, 
(whose  glory  was  so  great  I  could  not  behold 
them,)  Immortality y  Incorruption,  Perfection, 
;  Glorious  Victory,  Heavenly  Triumph,  the 
Beatifical  Vision,  Rivers  of  Pleasures,  the 
Tree  of  Life,  the  King  in  his  Beauty,  a  white 
Throne,  Mansions  of  Glory,  the  Holy  City, 
New  Jerusalem,  a  Crown  of  Righteousness, 
and  millions  of  glorified  saints  coining  amongst 
the  holy  Cherubim  and  Seraphim,  and  all  the 
Host  of  Heaven,  with  palms  and  harps  in  their 
hands,  singing  Hallelujah  to  God  and  the 
Lamb.  They  made  such  melody,  that  it 
was  sufficient  to  ravish  the  soul  in  such  a  man- 
ner, as  to  leave  no  heart  nor  spirit  in  us  for  the 
empty  objects  of  this  world. 

Now  the  two  first  glorious  companies  who 
attended  True  Godliness  here,  entered  with 
him  immediately,  and  the  other  glories 
Thoughtful  was  sure  of  possessing  affer  being 
faithful  until  death,  so  that  he  was  wonderful- 
ly fortified  against  all  domestic  commotions,  or 
foreign  approaching  danger.* 

*That  sinners  discern  not  the  blessedness  of  piety 
is  because  their  eyes  do  not  perceive  the  excellence 
of  the  three  companies  of  blessings  which  follow 
Godliness.  "  The  God  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the 
eyes  of  them  that  believe  not."  Ed. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  199 

But,  blessed  as  he  now  was,  his  blessedness 
was  far  from  being  complete,  for  Godliness 
alarmed  him  by  candidly  setting  forth  many 
trials  he  would  probably  meet  both  from  with- 
in and  without.  And  so  indeed  it  suddenly 
came  to  pass,  for  ^^oZ/yow,  the  prince  of  dark- 
ness, soon  began  to  rally  the  remnant  of  his 
scattered  forces  which  still  remained  within, 
and  lurked  in  corners  of  his  house.  Old-Man, 
(alias  Bodi/  of  Sin,)  was  dangerously  wounded, 
and  lay  bleeding,  but- Holt/  Revenge,  who  had 
a  strict  command  to  kill  him,  had  not  fully  ac- 
complished his  death.  In  a  little  time  he 
seemed  to  revive  again,  and  by  the  infernal 
suggesti(Jns  of  Apollyon,  so  laid  before  him 
his  manifold  evils,  and  remissness  in  holy 
duties,  as  to  persuade  him  that  he  harboured 
an  enemy  of  True  Godliness,  named  HypoC' 
risy ;  and  that  he  was  likely,  upon  that  ac- 
count, to  lose  all  his  hopes  here,  and  that  hap- 
piness of  which  Godliness  assured  him  here- 
after. 

But  as  the  Lord  had  ordered  \i,  Self -Clearing, 
by  the  help  of  Conscience,  made  it  apparent  to 
him  that  Hypocrisy  was  not  concealed  in  his 
house,  nor  in  the  least  countenanced  by  him. 
For,  first,  they  proved  that  he  had  a  hatred  of 
all  iniquity,  and  did   not  allow  of,  nor  coun- 


200  TRAVELS    OF 

tenance  any  sin  whatsoever,  by  the  aid  of  Spir^ 
itual-lndignation. 

And  secondly,  that  there  was  no  one  duty 
which  he  was  convinced  of,  but  he  read- 
ily submitted  to  it  by  the  help  of  New-Obe- 
dience. 

Thirdly,  That  he  was  peculiarly  careful  of, 
and  had  alway  (by  the  help  of  Christian-Watch- 
well)  kept  a  strict  eye  over  Mrs.  Heart,  whom 
he  most  of  all  mistrusted,  and  had  a  great 
jealousy  of. 

Fourthly,  That  he  rested  not  upon  the  ex- 
ternal performance  of  any  duty,  but  did  all  to 
the  praise  and  glory  of  God,  by  the  help  of 
True-hove. 

Fifthly,  That  he  was  the  same  continually 
in  private  which  he  was  in  public,  by  the  assist- 
ance of  Filial-Fear. 

Sixthly,  And  that  also  he  gave,  according 
to  his  ability,  at  all  times,  to  Theology  (Christ's 
minister)  and  to  the  poor  saints  ;  the  one  by 
the  aid  oi  New- Obedience,  Bounty,  Liberality, 
and  Godly-Zeal,  and  the  other  by  the  help  of 
Christian-Charity. 

Seventhly,  That  he  did  nothing  to  be  seen 
of  men,  or  for  the  sake  of  Vain-Glory ,  by  the 
directions  of  Holy-Ends  and  Aims,  and  by  the 
power  of  Heavenly  New-Mati. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  201 

Eighthly,  That  he  was  always  constant  in  his 
love  to,  and  his  esteem  of  True  Godliness,  be- 
ing as  much  for  the  work  of  Godliness,  as  for 
the  wages,  by  the  assistance  of  Faithful 

Ninthly,  That  he  did  not  inordinately  love, 
nor  set  his  affections  upon,  the  things  of  this 
life  by  the  help  of  Tetnperojice  and  Sobriety. 

Tenthly,  That  he  labored  to  live  a  spotless 
life,  being  taught  so  to  do  by  Purity. 

Eleventhly,  That  he  bore  up  valiantly  in 
the  profession  of  the  gospel,  not  being  ashamed 
nor  afraid  to  own  Jesus  Christ  before  men,  by 
the  means  of  Stability  and  Christian-Cour^ 
age. 

Twelfthly,  That  he  did  not  faint  under  af- 
flictions and  trials,  by  the  \\q.\^  of  Bless  ed-Ex- 
yerience,  Patience,  and  Precious-Promises. 

Thirteenthly,  And  that  he  was  kept  from  be- 
ing corrupted  in  principle,  or  led  into  error,  by 
the  means  of  Excellent-Knowledge.* 

Now  Conscience  and  Self-Clearing  having 
thus  freed    Thoughtful  from  the  false  charge 

*  As  young  Christians  are  frequently  assaulted  with 
fears  lest  they  are,  after  all,  only  deceiving  and  being 
deceived,  it  is  of  great  importance  to  have  the  evidences 
of  sincerity  well  understood.  Let  them  ponder  on  these 
thirteen  marks  of  true  grace.  Old  professors,  also, 
should  often  study  them  closely.  Ed,. 


202  TRAVELS    OP 

about  harbouring  Hypocrisy,  he  perceived 
what  excellent  advantage  he  had,  and  should 
receive  by  Godliness^  noble  retinue ;  and  here- 
upon he  fell  so  in  love  with  thehi,  that  he 
never  would  go  any  where,  nor  perform  any 
service,  without  their  company  ;  which  Apol- 
lyon  perceiving,  knew  it  was  in  vain  to  assault 
him  any  more  in  that  way ;  but  being  filled 
with  rage  and  malice  against  him,  he  raised  up 
mighty  forces  and  powers  upon  him  from  with- 
out. He  stirred  up  many  of  the  base  sort  to 
abuse  him  ;  amongst  which  were  Hate-good^ 
Time-Server,  Pride,  Out-Side,  Riot,  Igno- 
rance, Hard-Heart,  Scoffer,  Please- All,  Love- 
Lust,  Giddy-Head,  Rob-Saint,  Temporizer, 
Idolator,  Avarice,  Shameless,  High-Minded, 
and  Seared-Conscience ;  who,  with  many  more 
of  like  sort,  compassed  him  about  like  bees, 
and  miscalled  and  abused  him  in  a  cruel  man- 
ner. Thoughtful  seemed  at  first  utterly  at 
a  loss  to  account  for  all  this  opposition  from 
persons  he  had  never  injured,  but  at  last  he 
perceived  the  only  ground  and  reason  of  it 
was  because  he  had  received  True  Godliness. 
Remembering  that  word  of  Jesus  Christ, 
"Marvel  not  if  the  world  hate  you  ;"  and  that 
word,  *'  They  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil 
against  you  falsely  for  my  name  sake  ;"    with 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  203 

the  saying  of  the  apostle,  "  All  that  will  live 
godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  shall  suffer  persecution;" 
he  saw  that  nothing  could  be  expected  but  that 
these  fellows  would  distress  him,  and  that  he 
must  prepare  for  "  much  tribulation." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Thoughtful  meets  with  Contentment,  and  finding 
now  nothing  wanting  in  order  to  the  making  of 
his  Life  sweet  and  comfortable,  sung  Hallelujahs, 
Hymns  of  Praise  and  Thanksgiving  to  God  and 
the  Lamb. 

Thoughtful  Christian,  for  so  now  we  must 
call  him,  notwithstanding  that  he  was  supported 
and  established  in  the  ways  of  grace  by  God- 
liness and  his  blessed  retinue,  was  often  much 
disquieted  in  his  mind.  It  often  made  him 
melancholy  to  perceive  not  only  the  great  dis- 
tresses and  troubles  which  his  family  were  like 
to  meet  with  in  this  world,  but  also  how  unset- 
tled and  unhappy  the  times  were,  and  how  er- 
rors and  blasphemies  abounded  wherever  he 
came.  He  soon  began  seriously  to  think  of 
moving  from  the  neighbourhood  of  these 
trials.  Godliness,  however,  informed  him 
of  a  person  named  Contentment,  whom  he  saw 


TRAVELS    OP  TRUE    GODLINESS.  205 

he  had  not  yet  found  ;*  and  remarked,  that  if 
he  could  but  acquire  him  for  an  associate,  his 
mind  would  remain  sweetly  settled  and  com- 
posed, that  he  would  enjoy  calmness  of  soul, 
and  be  delivered  from  anxious  thoughts,  and 
undergo  crosses  and  harsh  accidents  with  equa- 
nimity ;  wholly  submitting  unto,  and  being 
fully  satisfied  with,  the  divine  disposal.  Now, 
this  glorious,  noble  and  renowned  personage, 
was  Contentment^  who  had  been,  it  seems, 
travelling  from  place  to  place,  like  a  poor  pil- 
grim as  True  Godliness  had  done,  seeking  a 
fit  resting  place,  but  could  find  none.  He  had 
been  to  visit  Riches,  but  was  not  admitted; 
and  Poverty  also,  but  found  no  lodging  there  ; 
with  Youth  he  could  find  no  abode,  and  Old- 
Age  was  a  stranger  to  him  ;  Pleasure  could 
give  him  no  entertainment ;  Honours  were 
forced  to  say,  we  know  him  not.  He  was  not 
lodged  in  a  prince's  palace,  nor  in  the  peas- 
ant's cottage  :  the  unmarried  sought  him,  but 
could  not  find  him  ;  and  the  married  wished 
for  him,  but  he  found  there  was  no  abiding 
with  them  neither.     Thoughtful  now  hearing 

*It  is  earnestly  to  be  desired  that  Christians  should 
more  generally  seek  and  maintain  this  grace.  Impa- 
tience of  trials,  frustrates  their  objects,  tarnishes  our 
profession,  and  destroys  our  comfort.  Ed. 


206  TRAVELS    OF 

that  he  was  accustomed  to  dwell  where  Godli' 
ness  took  up  his  lodging,  sent  presently  his 
old  friend  Consideration  to  seek  for  him  ;  and 
by  the  providence  of  God,  it  was  not  long  be- 
fore he  was  found.  For  the  information  of 
my  thinking  reader,  I  shall  show  how  Consid- 
eration, by  the  assistance  of  Faith,  met  with 
him,  and  brought  hip  home  to  Thoughtful 
Christian,*  and  made  him  his  fixed  companion. 

First,  Consideration  led  him  forth  to  pon- 
der upon  the  divine  attributes,  providences, 
and  promises,  and  taught  him  to  confide 
cheerfully  in  the  infinite  power,  wisdom,  holi- 
ness, mercy,  goodness,  truth,  and  faithfulness 
of  God. 

Secondly,  He  stirred  him  up  to  observe  his 
present  state  and  condition.  What,  saith  he, 
hath  God  done  for  thee  ?  Thou  wast  in  the 
gall  of  bitterness,  and  bond  of  iniquity,  and 
God  hath  brought  thee  out !  Thou  wast  a 
child  of  wrath,  and  now  art  a  child  of  God  ! 
Hast  thou  not  God  for  thy  God,  Christ  for  thy 
Saviour,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  for  thy  Comfort- 
er 1      Nay,   doth  not  God,  Christ,   and   the 

*  Let  the  Christian  reader  study  well  the  way  to 
obtain  contentment.  This  grace,  like  all  others,  is  to 
be  found  in  the  use  of  means.  The  means  are,  CoU' 
sideration  and  Prayer.  Ed, 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  207 

Holy  Spirit,  dwell  with  thee  1  Hast  thou  re- 
ceived TrueGodliness'  glorious  retinue  into  thy 
house,  to  abide  with  thee,  to  enrich  thee,  to 
strengthen  thee,  to  comfort  thee,  and  make 
thy  life  sweet  to  thee,  and  yet  not  content !  Are 
thy  sins  pardoned,  thy  soul  justified — hast  thou 
union  and  communion  with  the  Father  and 
Son!  and  yet  not  content?  Is  not  thy  name  writ- 
ten in  the  Book  of  Life?  Art  thou  not  an  heir 
of  a  crown  and  a  kingdom  that  fadeth  not 
away?  Let  me  tell  thee,  all  these  things,  and 
many  more,  cannot  be  absolutely,  and  in  the 
fullest  sense  thine,  without  Contentment.  Come, 
art  thou  willing  to  possess  them,  to  make  them 
thine  own,  and  enjoy  them  forever  ?  If  thou 
wouldst  be  sure  of  them,  then  get  Contentment 
to  dwell  with  thee  ;  for  "  Godliness  with  con- 
tentment is  great  gain,"  1  Tim.  vi.  6.  It  doth 
not  say.  Godliness  without  Contentment,  but 
with  Contentment.  This  glorious  .prince  will 
put  thee  into  the  present  possession  of  all  true 
happiness,  and  wilt  thou  not  resolve  to  give 
him  a  residence  in  thy  house  1 

Thirdly,  Ponder  upon  the  excellency  of 
Contentment ;  for  a  saint  never  looks  like  him- 
self, or  acts  like  a  person  of  rank  and  quality, 
who  hath  received  so  many  glorious  and  excel- 
lent qualities  and  privileges,  but  when  in  all 
conditions  he  is  therewith  content. 


208  TRAVELS    OP 

Fourthly,  Ponder,  saith  Consideration,  upon 
the  evils  of  Discontent.  Oh  !  what  dishonour 
doth  it  bring  to  God  !  what  reproach  to  True 
Godliness  !  and  what  great  wrong  to  thy  own 
soul  ! 

Fifthly,  It  is  below  thy  Christian  relation,  to 
be  discontent.     It  was  the  speech  of  Jonadab 
to  Amon,  "Why  art  thou,  being  a  king's  son, 
lean  from  day  to  day  ?"     But   that  was  for  a 
wicked  cause ;  lie  saw  his  spirit  was  troubled, 
for  otherwise  he  was  healthful  enough.     It  is 
below  thy  relation  to  God,  who  is  thy  portion, 
thy  shield,  thy  sanctuary,  thy  father.     David 
thought  it  no  small  matter  to  be  a  son-in-law 
to  an  earthly  king;  and  thou  art  the  King's  son 
of  heaven  and  earth,  and  yet  not  content !   It 
is  below  thy  relation  to  Jesus  Christ.     What, 
art  thou   the  spouse  of  Christ,  a  member  of 
Christ,  the  brother  and   friend  of  Christ,  an 
heir  with  Christ !   and  yet  not  content  ?     It  is 
below  thy  relation  with  the  Holy  Ghost.     Is  he 
thy  comforter,  guide,  witness,  strength !   and 
art  thou  not  content?     It  is  below  thy  relation 
to  the  holy  angels  who  are  thy  guard,  thy  at- 
tendants,  thy   friends,   thy  watchmen !    Hast 
thou  millions  of  those  glorious  spirits  to  min- 
ster to  thee,  to  fight  for  thee,  keep   thee  in  all 
thy  ways !  and  yet  not  content  ?     It  is  below 
thy  relation  to  the  saints  and  heavenly  family. 


TRUE    GODLINESS.  209 

Art  thou  not  brought  home  to  sit  down  with 
them,  to  partake  of  all  the  sacred  privileges  of 
God's  house  with  them,  and  to  have  a  share  in  all 
their  prayers ! — It  is  below  the  high  and  sover- 
reign  dignity  thou  art  raised  to.  Art  thou 
born  from  above,  a  prince,  a  favourite  of  heav- 
en, an  heir  of  both  worlds !  and  yet  not  content  ? 

Lastly,  Consider,  all  thy  afflictions,  troubles, 
and  sorrows  are  nothing,  in  comparison  of  what 
other  saints  have  met  with  ;  nay,  to  those  Jesus 
Christ  met  with  himself  for  thy  ^sake,  and  art 
thou  not  content  !  Besides,  are  they  not  less 
than  thy  sins  deserve  ?  Nay,  all  those  hard 
things  thou  meetest  with,  God  intended  to  work 
for  thy  good.  All  the  bitter  things  thou  art 
ever  like  to  meet  with,  in  this  world  will  yield 
nothing  but  sweet  hereafter  !  All  thy  troubles 
will  soon  be  gone,  they  are  but  for  a  moment. 
They  are  intermixed  with  many  mercies  and 
much  sweet.  On  the  whole,  therefore,  thou 
shouldst  even  rejoice  in  tribulation,  and  be  glad 
of  the  manifold  blessings  it  is  designed  to  secure. 

No  sooner  had  Consideration  laid  all  these 
things  and  many  other  of  the  like  nature  be- 
fore him,  but  lo  !  to  his  joy.  Contentment  came 
in,  and  was  immediately  welcomed  by  Godli- 
ness* heavenly  retinue.  It  cannot  be  imagined 
what  rejoicing  there  was  now  in  poor  Thouslit- 
S 


210    TRAVELS  OF  TRUE  GODLINESS. 

fuVs  house ;  it  would  have  diffused  joy  through 
every  benevolent  mind,  to  see  how  the  scatter- 
ed powers  of  the  enemy  were  forced  to  fly  into 
concealment.  Apollyon  himself  was  forced  to 
withdraw ;  Despond  was  vanquished  :  Dis- 
quiet and  Murmur  could  find  no  place.  Oh  ! 
this  was  to  him  the  joyful  day  of  days. 

Now  that  blessed  Contentment  was  fairly 
settled  in  the  house,  he,  with  the  kind  retinue 
which  Godliness  had  brought  in  before,  soon 
began  to  set  the  affairs  of  Thoughtful  in  order. 
Constant  Supplication  proved  himself  an  ex- 
cellent help.  Careful,  Hospitality ,  Holy 
Sympathy,  Love-All,  and  others,  contributed 
to  secure  the  respect  of  all  his  neighbours. 
His  residence  in  the  town  of  Religion  proved  a 
public  blessing  ;  and  so  long  as  my  knowledge 
of  him  continued,  he  remained  happy  and  pros- 
perously, evef  blessing  the  day  he  became 
acquainted  with  True  Godliness,  and  em- 
ployed much  of  his  time  in  thanksgiving  and 
praise  to  God  and  the  Lamb. 


INDEX 


Preface,         .--..,.  3 

Memoir  of  the  Author,           .        _        .        .  5 

CHAPTER  I. 

True  Godliness  described,     .        -         -        .  23 

CHAPTER  n. 

Origin  and  Antiquity  of  True  Godliness,     .  -  33 

CHAPTER  HI. 

The  chief  Enemies  of  Godliness,  -        -  42 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Godliness,  having:  received  a  Commission  to  travel, 
and  visit  the  Children  of  Men,  conies  to  a  cer- 
tain Town  on  the  Confines  of  Babylon,  where 
Riches  dwelt.  His  Usage  and  Treatment  there,    41 

CHAPTER  V. 

Godliness,  in  his  Travels,  came  to  a  Cottage, 
where  dwelt  Poverty,  with  whom  he  earnestly 
desired  to  make  his  Abode,  but  was  denied,  75 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Godliness  applies  to  Youth,  who  pleads  various 
Excuses,  and  at  last  utterly  declines,  receiving 
him  at  present,  -         -         .         -         -  112 

CHAPTER  Vn. 

Godliness  at  the  Door  of  Old- Age;  the  Reasons 
why  he  refused  to  entertain  him,       -         -  108 

CHAPTER  Vni. 

True  Godliness,  after  this,  travelled  towards  the 
city  Jerusalem,  near  to  which  was  a  small  vil- 
lage called  Reli2;ion,  in  which  dwelt  Mr.  Le- 
galist, at  whose  door  he  knocked.  The  cause 
why  he  did  not  entertain  him,  -        -  116 


212  INDEX. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Godliness  encounters  a  Man  of  strange  Counte- 
nance, who  it  appears  was  an  Antinomian,         125 

CHAPTER  X. 

Godliness  came  to  Mr.  Formalist's  door,  who  bid 
him  very  welcome  ;  but  he  suspecting  his  In- 
tegrity, and  that  he  harboured  divers  grand 
Enemies  of  his,  particularly  one  Hypocrisy, 
hesitated  to  go  in.  How  Hypocrisy  came  to  be 
discovered.  Formalist  at  last  refused  to  enter- 
tain True  Godliness,         -         -         -         -  129 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Godliness,  travelling  farther  into  the  Town, 
(called  Religion,)  saw  many  people  who  had 
been  great  professors,  retiring  from  the  town  as 
fast  as  they  could.  In  the  discourse  he  had 
with  one  of  them,  the  nature  and  danger  of 
Apostacy  is  described,       ....  144 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Godliness,  coming  to  Thoughtful's  house,  found 
there  his  friend  Consideration  whom  he  had  a 
long  time  sought  for.  The  great  opposition 
Consideration  met  with,  .         .         -  154 

CHAPTER  XIII.' 

Thoughtful,  though  he  had  embraced  Considera- 
tion, and  was  resolved  to  receive  Godliness  into 
his  house,  is  hindered  by  Old-Man,  Wilful- 
Will,  Carnal- AlFections,  and  ApoUyon.  He  is 
aided  by  Laborious,  but  had  not  prevailed  had 
it  not  been  for  another  who  came  to  his  assis- 
tance,         -  182 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Thoughtful, meeting  with  his  friend  Contentment, 
and  finding  now  nothing  wanting  in  order  to  the 
making  of  his  Life  sweet  and  comfortable,  sang 
Hallelujahs,  Hymns  of  Praise,  and  Thanksgiv- 
ing to  God  and  the  Lamb,        ...  204 


THE 


CHRISTIAN   LIBRARY, 

Now  publishing  by  Lincoln  &l  Edmands,  com- 
prises the  following  works. 

BAXTER'S  CALL.  A  new  and  beauti- 
ful stereotype  edition,  with  Chalmer's  Intro- 
ductory Essay,  and  several  Minor  Works  of 
Mr.  Baxter,  ISnio. 


BAXTER'S  SALNTS'  REST. 

From  Rev.  Dr.  Wayland,  President  of  Brown 
University. 
I  am  gratified  to  perceive  that  you  have  published 
a  handsome  edition  of  Baxter's  Saints'  Rest.  Of  the 
value  of  the  work  itself  it  is  superfluous  to  speak.  It 
has  few  equals  in  any  language.  Tlie  ordinary  copies 
are  most  palpably  beneath  the  value  of  the  work. 


THE    IMITATION    OF    CflRIST,   by 

Thomas  a  Kempis,  with  Dr.  Chalmer's  Intro- 
ductory Essay.  A  new  edition,  edited  by  Rev. 
Howard  Malcom,  of  Boston. 


MEMOIR  OF  MRS.  ANN  H.  JUDSON, 

late  Missionary  to  Burmah.  Including  a  His- 
tory of  the  American  Baptist  Mission  in  the 
Burman  Empire.  By  James  D.  Knowles.  Fifth 
edition. 


CHURCH  MEMBER'S  GUIDE,  by  J.  A. 
James,  A.  M.  of  Birmingham,  England.  Ed- 
ited by  J.  O.  Choules,  A.  M.  of  Newport,  R.  I. 


JAY'S  LECTURES.  The  Christian  con- 
templated  in  a  Course  of  Lectures,  delivered 
in  Argyle  Chapel,  Bath.     By  William  Jay. 


TRAVELS  OF  TRUE  GODLINESS,  by 

Benjamin  Keach.  Revised  and  improved. 
With  a  Memoir  of  his  Life.  By  Howard  Mal- 
com.  Pastor  of  the  Federal  Street  Baptist 
Church,  Boston.     Second  edition,  with  plates. 


MEMOIRS  OF  HOWARD.  An  Abridg- 
ment of  the  Memoirs  of  the  Public  and  Private 
Life  of  JOHN  HOWARD,  the  Philanthropist, 
compiled  from  his  own  Diary,  his  confidential 
Letters,  and  other  authentic  Sources.  By 
James  Baldwin  Brown,  Esq.  of  the  Inner 
Temple,  Barrister  at  Law.  Abridged  by  a 
Gentleman  of  Boston. 


AIDS  TO  DEVOTION,  in  three  parts. 
1.  Selections  from  Bickersteth,  comprising 
general  views  of  Prayer.  2.  Dr.  Watts's  Guide 
to  Prayer,  entire.     3.  Devotional  Exercises. 

From  the  Journal  of  Humanity,  Andover. 
This  volume  has  been  on  our  table  for  some  weeks, 
during  which  time  we  have  often  referred  to  it  with 
profit.  It  is  a  valuable  elementary  book  on  the  subject 
of  prayer,  worthy  the  study  of  every  Christian  who 
wishes  to  cultivate  this  gift,  whether  for  the  purposes 


Ill 


of  private  devotion,  or  for  its  public  exercises.  One  ot 
two  readings  will  not  be  sufficient ;  the  Christian 
should,  by  constant  reference  to  it,  keep  its  principles 
and  directions  fresh  in  his  mind  through  life.  It  con- 
stitutes Vol.  7,  of  the  Christian  library,  but  can  be 
purchased  separately.  The  volumes  of  this  library 
are  sold  low  with  a  view  to  its  extensive  and  perma- 
nent circulation. 


FEMALE  SCRIPTURE  BIOGRAPHY, 

including  an  Essay  on  what  Christianity  has 
done  for  Women.     By  F.  A.  Cox,  A.  M. 

From  the  Christian  Watchman. 

We  have  examined  Wxih  great  delight  this 
valuable  and  interesting  work.  It  forms  an 
addition  to  the  Christian  Library,  which  must  be 
universally  popular.  The  works  of  Hunter  and 
Robinson,  which  are  similar  in  their  nature,  are 
so  voluminous  and  expensive,  as  to  be  excluded 
from  common  libraries:  while  this  is  compact 
and  cheap  enough  to  be  on  every  man's  shelf. 
Those  works  too  contain  little  of  what  forms  the 
great  charm  of  the  one  before  us  ; — they  do  not 
embrace  the  biography  of  females  as  their  chief 
subject;  this  is  devoted  to  female  biography — 
To  the  mothers  and  daughters  in  Israel,  these 
volumes  will  be  a  most  acceptable  offering; 
containing  as  they  do,  the  recorded  lives  of 
almost  all  of  their  own  sex  who  are  distinguish- 
ed on  the  sacred  page, — from  the  mother  of  man- 
kind, downward  to  the  mother  of  Christ,  and 
embodying  lessons  of  wisdom  and  warning,  to 
guide  under  all  the  various  trials  and  temptations 
of  life-  The  style  of  the  work  is  warmly  and 
piously  eloquent,  kindling  the  heart  of  her  who 
reads,  into  sympathy  with  the  feelings  of  the 
author,  or  the  heroine  of  the  tale.    It  contains  a 


IV 


great  deal  of  useful  learning  interwoven  witli  its 
narratives;  thus  making  history  appear  in  its 
loveliest  light, — the  handmaid  of  religion.  The 
Essay  at  the  commencement  of  the  second  vol- 
ume, attracted  our  particular  attention.  It  ex- 
hibits the  blessed  effects  which  Christianity  has 
produced  on  the  condition  of  females,  and  by  a 
glance  at  the  situation  of  the  sex  in  almost  all 
ancient  and  modern  nations,  where  the  Bible 
has  exerted  but  small  influence,  most  strikingly 
manifests  the  advantage  woman  has  derived 
from  the  promulgation  of  Scripture  sentiments. 
The  lover  of  scriptural  knowledge  ;  the  admirer 
of  valuable  and  interesting  reading;  the  father 
or  mother  who  would  guide  their  daughters 
footsteps  in  the  right  way,  have  all  reason  to 
rejoice  in  the  publication  of  these  volumes. 

SABBATH  SCHOOL  CLASS  BOOK, 

AND 

MALCOM'S  BIBLE  DICTIONARY. 

Lincoln  &  Edmands,  59  Washington-St.  have 
just  published  the  second  edition  of  the  Sabbath 
School  Class  Book,  by  E.  Lincoln,  and  the  fourth 
edition  of  Malcom's  Bible  Dictionary. 

Both  the  Class  Book  and  the  Dictionary  have 
lately  been  reprinted  in  London;  and  their  sale 
has  already  been  extensive  in  that  country,  and 
they  will  undoubtedly  be  demanded  in  every  sec- 
tion of  the  United  States. 

Also, 

GEMS   OF   PIETY, 

A  beautiful  selection  from  Mason's  Remains, 
containing  a  rich  variety  of  the  most  striking 
thoughts,  pious  remarks,  and  admonitory  cau- 
tions, particularly  recommended  by  Dr.  Watts. 


DATE  DUE 

Jl.-"-' 

JURIS 

B33 

Demco,  IrfC.  38-293 


Ill'l'iii  I  h'','.",',? 'i'^,'"  Semmary-Speer 


MUU 


1    1012  01004  3828 


J 


